Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce), has destroyed and removed all illegal structures around Public Schools in Mile 2 and Badagry Expressway.
In an over-night exercise at the weekend, the task force removed illegal structures such as shanties, mechanic workshops, containarised kiosks and commercial bus garages in the areas.
Chairman of the Agency, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, who led the enforcement team said that owners and occupants of the structures were served a 7-day ‘Removal Notice’ to vacate the entire area as well as the vicinity of the schools within the stipulated period before the removal exercise.
Egbeyemi explained that the removal exercise followed several complaints and petitions by residents, particularly management of the Public Schools; Imoye High School and Amuwo Odofin Junior Secondary School, that criminal elements have turned the area to hideouts for carrying out their unholy activities, thereby making the environment unpleasant for living or learning.
He said “the structures were identified for harbouring criminal elements who rob unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables and also serve as an outlet for the sales of illegal hard drugs like Tramadol, Codeine, Skunk, Weed including mixed liquor to miscreants”.
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“Lagos is the most populous state in Nigeria as well as its economic heartbeat. As such, the zero tolerance for all forms of crimes and criminality by the present administration would be sustained.”
The Chairman of the task force pointed out that owners/occupiers of the illegal business structures had turned the entire area into an eye-sore with litters of refuse, used tyres, metals and abandoned vehicles, trucks amongst others.
The Chairman said the Agency swung into action upon the expiration of the removal notice in order to ensure the prompt clean-up of the environment as well as clampdown on the activities of criminally minded persons that have become a source of disturbance to law Lagosians, especially residents of the area.
Egbeyemi, advised owners/occupants of illegal structures and shanties around public schools across the State to immediately remove them before the exercise gets to their various areas insisting that anyone caught would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
He, said the Agency has commenced verification exercise of the claim of those affected but with legal documentation for the payment of monetary compensation as approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
