The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tokunbo Wahab advised all the occupants of the shanties “to voluntarily move out with their belongings before the commencement of the enforcement operations on Monday”.
The Lagos State Government on Sunday stated that it would undertake enforcement action to remove over 100 shanties housing several people at Adeniji Adele Underbridge from Monday.
It said on Sunday that operatives of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI/LAGESC) and officials from the Monitoring Enforcement and Compliance (MEC) department of the ministry would be given security backup to conduct the operation.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tokunbo Wahab advised all the occupants of the shanties “to voluntarily move out with their belongings before the commencement of the enforcement operations on Monday”.
The government said it would be a major environmental and security operation.
Last Wednesday, the state government confirmed the arrest of 11 more people in connection with the illegal habitation of squatters under a bridge towards Dolphin Estate in the Ikoyi area of the state.
This was disclosed by the Special Assistant to the State Governor on Environment, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu in a post on X.
“Continuation of the removal of the abode under Dolphin bridge. 11 more persons were arrested. It is important to note that wood materials were used to construct the shelters, some occupants use gas cylinders, some had stored fuel for their generators, these are recipes for disaster,” he wrote.
This takes the number of suspects arrested by the authorities over the illegal settlement under the bridge to 34.
Rotimi-Akodu earlier announced the eviction and arrests carried out on Tuesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI under the bridge. He said 23 persons were arrested in connection with the illegal settlement.
He also revealed there were about 86 rooms that housed squatters under the bridge. He added that the average rent paid by the squatters was N250,000 annually to sleep under the bridge.
“The bridge has hitherto housed 86 rooms, partitioned into 10x10 and 12x10. Squatters there have been paying an average rent of N250k p.a,” he wrote.
“Squatters dwelling under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi were evicted today Tuesday, 30th of April, 2024 by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI).
“These people created their own illegal settlement under the bridge, thereby exposing the critical infrastructure to impending destruction. 23 persons have so far been arrested and MoE/KAI will continue to monitor the place. The law will definitely take its course,” he wrote earlier.