Massive demolition in Lekki as Taskforce clears shanties

Taskforce

Taskforce clears shanties in Lekki

Officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Thursday demolished several shanties in Lekki area obstructing the flow of traffic.

The Agency cleared shanties along Lekki-Marwa Coastal road, Sapphire Tower, and Blue Water Area of Lekki -Epe Expressway road and also made arrests of miscreants for flouting the state government laws which are not in line with the state physical and infrastructural development master plan.

Chairman of the Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye led the team of operatives to the Lekki Coastal Road, Marwa Coastal road, Sapphire Tower, Blue water and other coastal areas along Lekki-Epe Expressway road for the demolition.

He said that the State was no longer home for miscreants and haphazard development of shanties, but could only accommodate people with positive thinking of making the State a Mega City of first choice in the world.

“It is unthinkable to see people residing or sleeping in a place that is not fit for animals, we will make the State inhabitable for all the serial law breakers and criminals”, he stated.

Jejeloye stated that the state government had given the illegal occupants series of notices in previous years and also carried out a demolition exercise of the same location in order 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 erecting structures and make shift buildings which are not in tune with making Lagos achieving her Mega City status.

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“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,” he said.

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

He further stated that he would leave no stone unturned in carrying out proper environmental monitoring and cleansing of shanties just as he did the previous year when shanties at railway line, Ijora, shanties along White Sand, Breweries and Shanties at Iwaya in Yaba axis were all cleared.

“These shanties were built haphazardly without any form of environmental provision for waste disposal or drainage channels. That is the reason you see most of these areas were flooded and overwhelmed whenever it rains. We will not condone it any longer,” Jejeloye noted.

He highlighted that “Wetlands which are very common attributes of a Coastal State like Lagos, if not properly managed could worsen the flooding usually experienced during rainy season. We have to make sure they are not encroached upon by illegal occupants, that is the reason we partnered with other MDAs to reclaim wetlands like Odo-Iyalaro.

“We are fully committed to ensuring that these miscreants are evicted from this place and we will make sure this exercise is effective, efficient and continuous until the State vision of serene, secured and tourist friendly environment is achieved, utilized and enjoyed by all Lagosians.”

 

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