29th April, 2012
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Sunday began a fresh campaign to restore Law and Order in the State as he issued quit notice to all squatters under bridges in Lagos and drivers of tankers and other articulated vehicles parked on roads in the State.
The Governor exasperated by the level of degradation and environmental nuisance caused to government facilities and public assets in Apapa and Amuwo Odofin areas of the State, noted that the wanton disregard to law and order by people who want to earn a living at all cost, was causing the State much damage that government cannot afford to treat it with kid gloves.
He described the current campaign to clean the city as necessary and devoid of religious, ethnic or other sectional considerations but which must be carried out now to save the State from further degradation and imminent chaos.
According to him, all the heads of security agencies are involved in the renewed drive. He warned the squatters to quit the sites within seven days or face the wrath of the law because government would not give up the fight until the state is rid of people and interests who allow their selfish needs to jeopardize the collective goal of moving the state forward.
Fashola advised people who have nowhere to live and owners of vehicles who have nowhere to park to quit the state for good so that they would not, out of their desperation to make money through any means, disturb or kill the business of others through their illegalities saying such money would amount to blood money.
The Governor was saddened by the grave damage done to Creek Road, Apapa, where many properties have been abandoned by their owners and many businesses closed down because the concessionaire handling the Apapa Port shut out trailer trucks that were meant to park inside the Port and called on the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other Federal Government agencies to get more concerned about the well-being of people living in the Apapa corridor.
Accompanying the Governor on the tour were the Service Chiefs including New Commander 9 Brigade, Brigadier-General Pat Akem, AirBase Commander, Air Commodore Tony Omenyi, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Abubakar Manko, members of the State Executive Council including Chief of Staff, Mr. Lanre Babalola, the Head of Service, Prince Olusegun Ogunlewe, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, his Environment, Health, Works, Commerce and Industry and Water Infrastructure counterparts, Mr. Tunji Bello, Dr. Jide Idris, Dr. Wale Ahmed, Mrs. Olusola Oworu and Prince Segun Oniru respectively, among other members of the State Executive Council and other top government functionaries.