The Lagos State Government has demolished 138 shanties along the Ajao Estate Canal bank in an effort to address environmental violations and illegal settlements.
According to a statement by the state's Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal encampments in public spaces.
The tenants of these shanties were reportedly paying between N60,000 to N100,000 as annual rent.
The demolition was carried out by the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also known as KAI, late Thursday.
In May, recall that Wahab revealed that the government had uncovered an apartment located under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi where tenants were paying an annual rent of N250,000 for the illegal accommodation. This discovery was part of the state's broader efforts to address environmental infractions and combat illegal settlements in public spaces.
According to Commissioner Wahab, the under-bridge apartment discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi was made up of 86 partitioned rooms, each measuring "10×10 and 12×10" feet. These cramped and illegal living spaces were being rented out for N250,000 annually.
In a related development earlier this week, the Lagos State Taskforce arrested at least 94 social miscreants who had converted rail tracks along the Pen Cinema and Fagba railway corridor into sleeping quarters. The arrests were made during an enforcement operation aimed at clearing illegal encampments and restoring order to public spaces.
Officials stated that the recent operations were specifically aimed at dislodging illegal occupants of the rail tracks who had also constructed shanties along the railway corridor. The authorities emphasized that such encampments pose significant security and environmental risks, and the enforcement actions are part of the state's broader efforts to address illegal settlements in public spaces while maintaining order along key infrastructure like railway lines.
Akerele, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Taskforce, disclosed that the operation was crucial to provide relief to residents living around the Fagba, Agege, and Pen Cinema railway routes. This action followed numerous complaints from locals about the increasing activities of criminal elements who had been residing in the illegal settlements along the railway corridors. The goal was to restore safety and order in these areas, addressing the public safety concerns raised by the community.
Akerele further emphasized that the miscreants had shown a blatant disregard for the state’s environmental and sanitary laws. He pointed out that the presence of squatters along the rail corridor was not only a violation of these laws but also a serious health and safety risks.
The unsanitary conditions created by the illegal settlements, coupled with their proximity to active railway lines, made the area hazardous for both the squatters and nearby residents. The operation, therefore, aimed to eliminate these dangers and restore order to the area.
Akerele issued a stern warning to the ejected squatters, advising them not to return to the rail corridor, which is intended solely for the passage of trains. He stressed that any attempt to reoccupy the area would not be tolerated. Despite this, some of the squatters attempted to resist the Agency’s actions during the operation. However, the authorities were resolute in their efforts to clear the area and restore safety and order along the railway corridor.
Akerele assured residents in Fagba, Agege, Pen Cinema, and surrounding areas, as well as train passengers, that regular patrols and continuous surveillance would be conducted along the railway corridor to prevent squatters from returning and setting up shanties.
He further pledged that anyone attempting to reoccupy the area would be arrested and prosecuted, stressing the state's commitment to maintaining order and ensuring public safety along the rail lines.
