The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit at the weekend demolished over 2,500 illegal structures comprising shanties, kiosks and containarised shops in the Lekki Waterside area of the state.
The structures were demolished during an enforcement exercise carried out by the operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit.
Before the exercise, the structures were occupied by business operators including iron benders, mechanics, food/fruits vendors and others who were issued a seven-day “Removal Notice” by the state government to remove their property and vacate the entire area.
The notice expired last Thursday and this ushered in the demolition exercise.
The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, said the exercise was carried out to prepare for the construction of a coastal road which would serve as an alternative route for the Lekki-Epe Expressway and enhance free flow of traffic on that corridor.
He said the area was an eye-sore as the occupants littered the environment with refuse and waste materials.
According to him, an investigation conducted by the agency revealed that none of the occupants have an operational permit from the state government as miscreants freely smoke and sell Indian hemp as well as engage in prostitution around residential premises.
The task force chairman said after the expiration of the removal order, the government still gave the occupants an additional eight days grace to vacate the entire area before embarking on the clean-up exercise and clampdown on all criminal elements disturbing law-abiding residents of Marwa waterside and the entire Lekki axis.
He implored all illegal occupants on any of the government lands/property to immediately vacate the same as it would not be business as usual across the state.
