As part of an enforcement operation to restore order, improve sanitation, and address rising security concerns, the Lagos State Government has demolished several illegal shanties and suspected criminal hideouts along Akin Ogunlewe Street, Victoria Island.
The exercise was carried out by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) in collaboration with other relevant state agencies, in a coordinated effort to reclaim public spaces overtaken by illegal occupants and reinforce environmental compliance within the commercial district.
According to the government, the makeshift structures had gradually become shelters for suspected criminal elements, posing security threats and creating environmental hazards for residents, workers, and businesses in Victoria Island, one of Lagos’ key economic hubs.
In a statement on Wednesday, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the demolition was necessary to restore order and safeguard the environment.
He explained that the illegal structures had turned parts of the neighbourhood into unsanitary and unsafe settlements, undermining public safety and environmental standards expected in the high-brow district.
Wahab added that such structures often contribute to indiscriminate waste disposal, environmental degradation, and the emergence of criminal hideouts that threaten community safety.
The commissioner assured residents and business owners that the state government would continue to monitor the area and sustain enforcement activities to prevent the recurrence of illegal settlements or criminal hideouts.
He reaffirmed Lagos’ commitment to maintaining environmental order and protecting public spaces, stressing that the illegal occupation of road setbacks, drainage alignments, and other public infrastructure would not be tolerated.
