The Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, said it arrested seven miscreants for allegedly assaulting environmental officials during the removal of shanties and illegal structures along the Jakande Estate in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, had announced the commencement of the operation to reclaim coastal road alignment for the ongoing construction of the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
However, Wahab, via his verified X handle, said while the enforcement officers were carrying out the exercise, some hoodlums assaulted them.
He wrote, “During the enforcement operation by the joint team of enforcement officers from the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the Special Task Force on Environmental Offences led by Mr. Shola Jejeloye yesterday (Monday) in Jakande Estate, about seven criminals were arrested for unlawful possession of arms and assaulting the enforcement officials.
“They have been handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution.”
Also, there was reported traffic gridlock as some miscreants took over the road and blocked both sides of the expressway to disrupt the demolition exercise before the intervention of the state police.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, who confirmed the incident on his verified X on Tuesday, urged business owners in the area to support the state government in the ongoing exercise.
Gawat said, “The Lagos State Task Force started demolishing illegal structures and shanties on the coastal road alignment and Jakande Estate, Lekki. Miscreants from the shanties took over the expressway and blocked both sides. Divisional Police Officer, Ilasan, swung into action, and normalcy has been restored to the area. The security agencies are still on very good ground.
“The people living or doing business on the whole Lekki Expressway should support the state government on the ongoing clearing of the ‘shanties’ around the Jakande Area. That place is the main security ‘issue’ of that whole axis.”
