Lagos Govt demolishes criminal hideouts in Lekki

…Arrests 15 suspects

By Fatai Kasali

The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources on Thursday demolished shanties serving as criminal hideouts in the Lekki area of the state, leading to the arrest of 15 suspects.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known on his X (formerly Twitter) page, as he shared photos from the operation.

He wrote, “Taskforce officers from the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources carried out the demolition of shanties and makeshift structures that deface the expressway at Orchid Junction, Eleganza Busstop, Lekki-Epe Expressway, and shanties serving as a criminal hideout in Ikota today (Thursday, 5th of October).

“15 suspects with offensive weapons were also arrested.”

The exercise is coming about 24 hours after Lagos State Taskforce, a unit under the state governor’s office, carried out a follow-up operation along Lekki Coastal Road/Maroko axis, where shanties were noticed to have been erected in selected corners in the area.

The Chairman of the agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, stated that the exercise was to serve as a deterrent to hoodlums nursing the idea of returning to the areas to rebuild the already destroyed shanties.

“We have cleared out the large expanse of land more than twice but we made it clear the last time that it would no longer be business as usual for squatters. No shanty or makeshift buildings would be allowed to be erected here anymore. They do not just pose environmental risk but are also a security risk and are not part of the Lagos State Mega City Master plan of the State Government,” Jejeloye was quoted as saying in a statement.