Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce), on Thursday, dislodged squatters, illegal occupants and arrested a yet to be disclosed number of suspected miscreants for flouting environmental laws around the Lekki-Epe expressway.
Also, the agency cleared some shanties along Lekki-Marwa Coastal road, Sapphire Tower, and Blue Water Area of Lekki -Epe Expressway road to allow free flow of traffic and promote a crime free society in the axis.
The operation was led by the Taskforce Chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye who said that the State was no longer a home for miscreants and haphazard development or shanties.
He said the state can only accommodate people with positive thinking of making the State a mega city of first choice in the world.
According to him, “It is unthinkable to see people residing or sleeping in places that is not fit for animals, we will make the State unhabitable for all the serial law breakers and criminals”, he stated.
The Chairman said the operation was in line with Lagos State T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda of making Lagos a 21st Century economy through a creative robust tourism assets, improve physical infrastructure and Security.
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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. He lamented that 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.
Jejeloye said that the Agency had cleared over 25 Shanties last year, while the residents were charged to court for violating environmental laws.
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 will ensure they are not encroached upon by illegal occupants, that is the reason we partnered with other MDAs to reclaim wetlands like Odo-Iyalaro,” he stated.
