Lagos State Government on Monday commenced the removal of all illegal shanties/Structures that litter the Lagos Coastal road at Maiyegun Estate by Jakande in Lekki area of the State.
This follows the expiration of several statutory relocation notices and commencement of enforcement action by the Special Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences and other agencies.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab issued the directive in a statement in Lagos.
Wahab reiterated the LASG commitment to urban regeneration in the state when he visited the scene of the enforcement alongside state officials.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources. Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, Wahab added that it was expedient that residents should respect town planning laws and abide with its provisions.
He said that several sites have been identified in the state and needs to be recovered for proper regeneration as these sites are gradually being converted to environmental slums within the city.
He said the regeneration of the state would be done in accordance with the Lagos State development plan, hence the reason why the demolition of shanties are on going simultaneously in other parts of the state such as Ijora under bridge, Obalende under bridge as well as Orile.
“Anyone trying to alter the original urban development plan of the state will not be allowed; people cannot be allowed to do whatever they like whenever or wherever they like. Lagos must not become a jungle” he said.
He said that government remained resolute in the drive towards environmental regeneration adding that the ongoing demolition exercises across the state will send a strong message that all government spaces will be governed and manned.
He said that before the commencement of the enforcement exercise, the State government carried out an inventory of buildings possessing legal documents and these buildings have been numerically identified and will not be pulled down.
He said the government has been sensitizing the occupants of illegal shanties and squatters close to the Regional Road alignment to vacate the area since the year 2022 stressing that some of the buildings were dilapidated and this informed their demolition.
He explained that most of the squatters were found not to be captured in the Lagos State Residents of America Registration Agency (LASRRA) database and it is worrisome for any government to not be able to account for the residents and be able to provide social amenities for them.
Wahab emphasized that the indiscriminate springing up of shanties and illegal structures serve as hideout for criminals as well as destitutes who roam about the streets in daytime and perpetrate crimes at dusk.
He recalled that the state Government recently issued a four day relocation notice to all squatters occupying illegal shanties around the Lagos coastal Road in Mayegun, Lekki adding that the allegation by squatters of not been issued relocation notice was baseless and untrue.
