The Lagos State Government has begun the demolition of illegal shanties within the abandoned Ikoyi Towers, days after discovering hundreds of undocumented individuals residing in makeshift structures in the compound.
This development was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday.
According to Wahab, the enforcement operation commenced after the expiration of the 48-hour eviction notice served by the state government to the inhabitants of these unauthorized structures.
“After the expiration of a 48-hour vacation notice served, the joint team of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) and the Special Taskforce on Environmental Offences commenced enforcement and removal of illegal shanties built inside the Ikoyi Towers compound housing illegal occupants posing a security threat to the environment and nuisance to the State, and whose daily activities could not be ascertained,” Wahab’s post read in part.
Wahab further noted that the government’s issuance of relocation notices and enforcement actions aims to reclaim land and public facilities that have been converted to personal use, ensure public safety, enforce urban planning regulations, and tackle the proliferation of illegal settlements and structures throughout the state.
What you should know
- In recent weeks and months, the Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to achieve a cleaner and safer environment across the state, particularly by reclaiming all public spaces occupied by illegal occupants.
- These public spaces, commonly used as squatter settlements by illegal occupants, include under bridges and other abandoned government properties, posing both a security threat and a nuisance to the state.
- The government has demolished illegal structures at various bridges across the state, including the Ijora Under Bridge, Apongbon Under Bridge, Obalende Under Bridge, Osborne Under Bridge, and Dolphin Estate Under Bridge.
- In an interview on Arise TV on Sunday, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab disclosed that the state government would convert all these recovered public spaces to proper use for citizens. Specifically, he mentioned that the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) would be responsible for putting these spaces to appropriate use.
- He cited that the Ijora Under Bridge would be transformed into a football pitch, while one of the largest telecommunications companies has chosen to design the Obalende Under Bridge for a suitable public purpose.
- Wahab assured that each of these recovered under-bridges across the state would be transformed into something beneficial for the citizens, alleviating concerns that these ungoverned spaces serve as hideouts for criminal elements.
