The Lagos State Government has issued a four-day ultimatum to squatters on Coastal Road in the Lekki area of the state.
According to the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab conducted an inspection tour of Jakande, Elegushi Itedo, System 156, and 44 on Orchid Road before the development.
“Following the indiscriminate springing up of shanties and illegal structures, the Lagos State Government has issued a four-day relocation notice to all squatters occupying illegal shanties around the Lagos coastal road in Mayegun, Lekki area of Lagos,” said the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs Kunle Adeshina on Sunday.
The commissioner stated that any illegal shanties and squatters near the Regional Road Alignment must depart the area by Thursday afternoon, as enforcement will begin in the early hours of Friday morning.
“The government has cleared Ijora Under Bridge, Obalende Under Bridge, Apongbon Under Bridge, and Agege Red rail line amongst others. I would like to say that most of these places cleaned up are notorious sites that harbour criminals and as such they are threats to residents. The clean-up exercise would be sustained to ensure that ejected squatters do not return to rebuild these shanties,” he said.
He said the team would visit Aboru, Command, Abule-Egba to inspect ongoing work in the areas, stressing that the enforcement drive is a state-wide exercise.
The Commissioner said enforcement would commence this week on System 157 (Orchid Road) to open the 40 metres drainage adding that this became necessary as people have built on the canal path and narrowed the primary channel thereby causing flooding in the area, the statement added.