The Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC) has sealed off several chemical factories and shops in the Ojota area of the state for violating safety and environmental regulations.
The Commission disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen, noting that the enforcement exercise, carried out over the weekend and led by its Director-General, Mr. Lanre Mojola, followed contraventions of the Lagos State Safety Commission Law of 2011.
Mojola said the affected facilities were shut after operators failed to comply with agreed safety measures despite repeated warnings and the expiration of a grace period.
According to him, officials of the Commission had earlier inspected the factories and held a series of meetings with executives of the chemical dealers, during which a letter of undertaking was signed on May 9, 2025.
He disclosed that the affected operators had agreed to implement a range of safety measures, including conducting a comprehensive safety audit of the market; organising workshops on hazard identification and risk evaluation; providing serviced and accessible fire extinguishers in all shops; and maintaining an up-to-date inventory of chemicals, including expiry dates.
Others, he said, included ensuring full compliance with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE); installing clear safety signage, chemical labels, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS); and developing a disaster management and business continuity plan.
‘Despite the expiration of the ultimatum, the chemical dealers failed to act on the agreements reached with the Commission. This left the Commission with no option but to seal the facilities in order to safeguard lives and property,’ the LSC boss said.