Following the indiscriminate springing up of shanties and illegal structures, Lagos state Government on Sunday issued a four day relocation notice to all squatters occupying illegal shanties around the Lagos coastal road in Mayegun, Lekki area of Lagos.
Speaking with newsmen after an inspection tour to Jakande, Elegushi itedo, System 156 and 44 on Orchid Road, the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab said all such illegal shanties and squatters, close to Regional Road Alignment must vacate the area by Thursday afternoon as enforcement would commence in the early hours of Friday morning.
The commissioner, accompanied by the Special Adviser on Environment, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, , Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen, Chairman of Task Force on Special Offences, CSP Sola Jejeloye and heads of Agencies inspected System 157 (Orchid Road), System 44 (Lekki to Ikota), Mayegun Area (Jakande), Regional Road Alignment, Dodan Barracks and Obalende
The Commissioner stated that the tour is important in order to ensure that the coastal alignment of the aforementioned areas are secured and illegal settlements along the corridors are removed, stressing that by next week the spots will be cleared with the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABCA) involved in the proper regeneration of the axis.
“The government has cleared Ijora under bridge, Obalende Under bridge, Apongbon under bridge, Agege Red rail line amongst others. I will like to say that most of these places cleaned up are notorious sites that harbour criminals and as such they are threats to residents. The clean up exercise would be sustained to ensure that ejected squatters do not return to rebuild these shanties” he said.
He said the team would visit Aboru, Command, Abule – Egba to inspect on going work in the areas, stressing that the enforcement drive is a state wide exercise.
The Commissioner said enforcement would commence this week on System 157 (Orchid Road) to open the 40 metres drainage adding that this became necessary as people have built on the canal path and narrowed the primary channel thereby causing flooding in the area.
He said the government convened several stakeholders meetings with property owners and the affected residents who were served contravention notices in the last quater of 2023 adding that since then, they have not seen commitment from the affected community members.
The team also visited Ilubirin to assertain the level of the ongoing project to instal an underground tank to deflood Lagos-Island awarded 3 years ago, with a confirmation from the contractor that the project will definitely be delivered in 90days
“Ilubirin is strategic because the government is set to regenerate Isale Eko and environs and in order to do that, there is need to get the outflow of water through the Ilubirin path” he said.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Rotimi Olakunle -Akodu advised recalcitrant squatters who are still staying in the areas visited today to relocate before the enforcement team moves in on Friday.
He said that the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu intends to restore the greenery and beautify all parts of the state including Agege, Lagos Island, Ikeja and other areas where illegal squatters have encroached upon.
