This is a statement culled from the Lagos State Facebook Page. The original story can be read here.
The Lagos State Taskforce has cleared shanties and make-shift structures built haphazardly along the rail tracks and environs at Fagba.
The exercise which kicked off in the wee hours of Saturday was led by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye who decried the state of decadence brought about by squatters in the area.
He said, “We had served the squatters here an eviction notice on the 20th of June but it is obvious they thought we were bluffing. We will carry out our operation with minimal force and ensure that the entire shanties are removed”.
Jejeloye further disclosed that the clearing exercise is scheduled in phases to ensure that squatters do not return to constitute a nuisance in the area. He noted that the same method of operation utilized in Lekki shanties would also be replicated in Fagba and its environs.
“The plan of the State Government to completely reclaim the portion of roads occupied by squatter is non-negotiable. The enforcement takes place first, followed by monitoring and then sustenance. We will ensure these sites are monitored till they are fully occupied and put to good use by the State Government”, he added.
The Chairman attributed some of the criminal activities in Fagba/Agege axis to miscreants who make use of the shanties by the railway tracks as a hideout. He disclosed that some harmful weapons and illicit drugs, belonging to some of the squatters were recovered from the shanties during the clearing exercise.
According to him, “Residents are excited seeing us clear out these structures due to the criminal haven it has become. They have complained of pick-pocketing, stealing and robbery usually perpetrated by the squatters but it is now a thing of the past”.
Jejeloye assured Lagosians that the operation would be extended to Pen Cinema and environs till serenity and safety are guaranteed. He, therefore, urged residents in the State to support the State Government’s efforts in ensuring that acts that could be harmful to the environment are reported to the Agency for prompt action.