The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses Unit (Taskforce) has issued a 5-day notice to squatters in Adewale Kolawale Street, Lekki Coastal Road and surrounding areas to remove all illegal buildings and shacks constructed in the area or prior to demolition stood.
The agency’s chairman, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Shola Jejeloye, through Director of Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem disclosed in a statement on Saturday.
He urged the owners of the illegal structures, temporary buildings and shacks to remove them immediately and vacate the area within the date set for them by the state government.
Jejeloy appealed to traders, food vendors and others living unsanitarily in the cluster, saying the government will implement the 5-day eviction notice on April 25, 2023.
He announced that the “eviction notice” was necessary in the face of increasing pollution and, most importantly, a fire that broke out three days ago that almost destroyed buildings across the street.
Jejeloye expressed the government’s displeasure and concern over the squalid environment, which can also serve as a hideout for criminals who pose a threat to the security of residents in the area and residents in general.
“The state government is committed to reducing crime to the minimum by cleaning up criminal dens and also ensuring that the environment is safe, peaceful and livable for all concerned,” he added.
“Shacks, illegal structures like this are notorious for indiscriminate trash disposal, which is not in line with the state’s vision for mega city status.”
Jejeloye, therefore, warned owners of abandoned trucks and vehicles, shacks and kiosks to remove them from the area before the deadline, stressing that “this will not be the first Eviction Notice to be served on occupiers.
“The zero tolerance in Lagos State for environmental abuse, illegal and indiscriminate dumping of waste and defacement of the environment will be followed to the letter and we will make sure we achieve our goal here.
“I can assure you that the government will enforce this notice next week on Tuesday.”
