By Newsmata
In furtherance of the Lagos State government’s ongoing initiative to reclaim and secure key coastal corridors in line with its Mega City Master Plan, the state’s Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development has dismantled makeshift structures at the Okunde Bluewater Scheme in the Lekki area and dislodged the squatters. The makeshift structures had served as criminal hideouts for some undesirable elements.
Leading the operation, the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ekundayo Alebiosu, lamented that although the area was cleared in late 2023, shanties had resurfaced and quickly devolved into hotbeds of criminality.
The commissioner stated that the makeshift dwellings had become notorious for harbouring miscreants involved in armed robbery, drug trafficking, and other anti-social behaviour.
According to Alebiosu, “This is not just about illegal structures; this is about public safety. During today’s operation, dangerous weapons and firearms were recovered, and arrests were made.
“These structures posed serious security and environmental risks and allowing them to remain would have been a disservice to the law-abiding residents of Lagos.”
Disclosing that the reclaimed land was designated for the development of a world-class Bluewater Scheme and coastal road infrastructure intended to enhance connectivity and boost the state’s tourism and transportation sectors, Alebiosu insisted that “We cleared this large expanse of land late last year, and it is no longer business as usual. Any attempts to rebuild shanties or makeshift structures will be met with swift enforcement”.
While assuring that continuous monitoring and periodic enforcement actions would be maintained to preserve the integrity of the reclaimed areas and prevent illegal resettlement, the commissioner said the “MWID remains steadfast in its mission to secure and transform all government-owned waterfronts across Lagos State, in alignment with the vision of a clean, secure, and globally competitive Mega City”.