By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that it would remove over 100 shanties at Adeniji Adele under bridge from Monday, 6 May, 2024.
The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, made this disclosure during an interview with newsmen on Sunday, 5 May, 2024.
“The Lagos State Government will undertake enforcement action to remove over 100 shanties at Adeniji Adele underbridge from tomorrow, Monday, 6th of May, 2024.
“The removal is coming after the expiration of a 48-hour removal notice served on all occupants of the shanties to move with their belongings,” Wahab stated.
According to the commissioner, operatives of the Kick Against Indiscipline and officials from the Monitoring Enforcement and Compliance department of the ministry will be given security backup to conduct the operation.
This exercise, according to him, is part of the commitment of the state government to reclaim all ungoverned spaces that dot the Lagos landscape.
“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.
A similar exercise was carried out last week in Ikoyi where an apartment where tenants pay N250,000 annual rent was discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.
Wahab added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilized for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge.
The Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, on Sunday,5 May, 2024 had stated that out of the 450 squatters arrested under the bridge, 371 asked to be relocated to their various states.
