The Lagos State Government has announced that from Monday, May 6, it will embark on demolitions of over 100 shanties at Adeniji Adele Underbridge.
This decision was made public by the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during an interview with journalists on Sunday.
According to Wahab, the removal of the shanties is part of the state government’s commitment to reclaiming all ungoverned spaces in Lagos.
He stated that the occupants of the shanties had been served a 48-hour removal notice, which expired on Sunday, and advised them to vacate the premises voluntarily to avoid any confrontation with the authorities.
The commissioner expressed concerns about the unsanitary conditions in the shanties, which he said also served as hideouts for criminals and points for peddling hard drugs and substances.
He noted that the removal of the shanties would help to improve the wellbeing of law-abiding residents in the area.
Wahab revealed that operatives from the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and officials from the Monitoring Enforcement and Compliance department of the ministry would be involved in the demolition exercise, with security backup provided to ensure a smooth operation.
“Apart from the unsanitary conditions of residents in the shanties, it also serves as a hiding place for criminals and points for peddling hard drugs and substances which is injurious to the wellbeing of law-abiding residents.
“Therefore, I advise all the occupants of the shanties in their interest, to voluntarily move out with their belongings before the commencement of the enforcement operations on Monday,”
he added.
This exercise is not an isolated incident, as a similar demolition was carried out last week in Ikoyi, where an apartment with an annual rent of N250,000 was discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.
According to the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, 371 out of the 450 squatters arrested during the exercise had requested to be relocated to their various states.
