The Lagos State Government has found 86 partitioned rooms under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi, Lagos Island. The rooms, sized 10×10 and 12×10, were being rented out to tenants for N250,000 per annum.
According to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources successfully removed all structures, including a container used for illegal activities, from beneath the bridge.
A Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, confirmed the eviction of squatters from the area, citing illegal settlement and environmental violations.
23 individuals were arrested during the eviction, which was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) on Tuesday.
Rotimi-Akodu warned that the illegal settlement was exposing the critical infrastructure to impending destruction and stated that the law will take its course. The removal of the illegal structures is ongoing, with 11 more persons arrested.
The discovery has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of the tenants, who were living in makeshift apartments under the bridge. The use of wood materials, gas cylinders, and stored fuel for generators has been identified as a recipe for disaster.
The Lagos State Government has vowed to continue monitoring the area to prevent further illegal activities and ensure the safety of citizens.
watch video below:
18 individuals squatting illegally under the bridge leading from Dolphin Estate were arrested yesterday 30th of April, 2024 by the officials from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI).
