Lagos taskforce raids Agege hideouts, arrests 84 suspected criminals
The Lagos State Environmental Taskforce has cleared multiple criminal hideouts in Agege, arresting 84 suspects in a coordinated early morning raid on Friday.
The operation, according to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, was part of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s intensified campaign to sanitise Lagos neighbourhoods infiltrated by criminal elements.
In an official statement issued on Friday, Wahab confirmed that the raid targeted notorious zones in Ojurin Railway Corridor, Isale Oja, Oke Koto, the AP area, and several adjoining streets, all known for harbouring suspected criminals.
“During the raid exercise, a total number of 84 suspects were arrested, comprising 82 males and 2 females,” Wahab stated via his verified social media handle.
He said the suspects would be charged to court accordingly, warning that the state government would not relent in its enforcement campaign across Lagos.
The taskforce's action was not limited to arrests alone. Illegal structures and makeshift shelters used as criminal enclaves were also dismantled, as part of efforts to restore public order and curb environmental abuse in Agege.
Wahab said the clean-up exercise addressed two major concerns — the surge in street crime and the degradation of urban infrastructure.
“This exercise is not just about urban renewal. It is also about protecting law-abiding citizens and ensuring public infrastructure is not hijacked or turned into hideouts for criminal activity,” he added.
The raid in Agege follows recent enforcement actions in Oshodi, Orile, and Lagos Island, where the state similarly cleared illegal settlements linked to street gangs and illicit trade.
Wahab reiterated that enforcement activities would continue across the city, stressing that illegal street trading, squatting, and unauthorised use of public spaces would no longer be tolerated.
“All those arrested will face the full weight of the law,” the commissioner said.