The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce) has said it will demolish shanties and mechanic workshops located at the Marwa waterside area of Lekki.
Towards this end, the Taskforce on Saturday issued a seven-day eviction order to all owners/occupants of illegal structures, shanties, kiosks and containarised shops in the area.
The Chairman of the Taskforce, Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed that the “Removal Order” became imperative in preparation for the expansion of the Lekki corridor that would serve as an alternative route for the Lekki-Epe expressway.
Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, explained that the state government was committed to ensuring constant free flow of traffic in that corridor.
He said, “Illegal business operators like iron benders, mechanics and food/fruits vendors have turned the area into an eye-sore. In addition, they have littered the entire area into a place where they dump refuse indiscriminately.
“It is interesting to note that none of the owners, occupants and illegal business operators has any permit from the state government to operate.”
He urged those affected to take advantage of the relocation opportunity the state government had given, stressing that the Taskforce would swing into action at the expiration of the seven-day eviction notice.
He warned that immediately the order expired on Thursday December 21, 2019, operatives of the agency would embark on a clean-up exercise in the area, as well as clamp down on all criminal elements suspected to be disturbing law-abiding residents in the Marwa waterside and the entire Lekki axis.
Egbeyemi also implored all illegal occupants of any of the government lands/properties across the state to immediately vacate such areas as anyone caught would be seriously dealt with in accordance with the law.
In a related development, operatives of the agency have impounded 98 commercial motorcyclists allegedly found plying restricted routes at Ikorodu and Agric bus stop areas.
According to Egbeyemi, “The agency had issued several warning to these illegal commercial motorcyclists through their various associations to desist from plying 475 restricted routes, including highways and bridges, across the state.”
He warned commuters not to patronise commercial motorcyclists plying illegal routes “as both the rider and passenger are liable if arrested.”
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