Lagos Task Force demolishes shanties at Lekki coastal axis

The Lagos State Task force has demolished shanties located along Lekki-Marwa Coastal road, Sapphire Tower and Blue Water Area of Lekki -Epe Expressway.

The taskforce while carrying out this exercise, reiterated its commitment to the clearing of all shanties in the state to pave way for free flow of traffic, discourage haphazard development and promote a crime free society.

Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, Shola Jejeloye, said this during the clearing exercise of shanties.

The agency made arrests in the locations for flouting the state laws and the physical and infrastructural development master plan.

Jejeloye who led the team of operatives of the agency during the exercise, said the state is no longer home for miscreants and haphazard development or shanties, but can only accommodate people who are thinking of making Lagos a mega city of first choice.

He said: “It is unthinkable to see people residing or sleeping in a place that is not fit for animals. We will make the state uninhabitable for all the serial law breakers and criminals.”

According to him, government had served illegal occupants notices in previous years and also carried out a demolition exercise at the same location to allow for free flow of traffic, beautification exercise and boost creative economy through development of tourism assets in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the State for a greater Lagos, but the large expanse of land had since been re-occupied by squatters and illegal occupants who erect structures and makeshift buildings.

He said: “We have been here severally to demolish these illegal structures impeding free flow of traffic and construction of alternate road. The area is becoming a breeding ground for miscreants and hoodlums who engage in traffic robbery along this route and we will make sure we flush them out completely.”

Jejeloye said that the agency had cleared over 25 shanties last year, while some residents were charged to court for violating environmental laws.

He further stated that government will carry out proper environmental monitoring and cleansing of shanties just as it did the previous year, when shanties at railway line, Ijora, White Sand, Breweries and shanties at Iwaya in Yaba axis were all cleared.