Lagos state government removes 54 illegal shanties, dislodges 84 occupants beneath Eko Bridge

The Lagos State Government on Monday cleared 54 illegal shanties and dislodged 84 occupants from beneath the Eko Bridge in the Ebute-Ero area of the state.

The operation, led by the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also saw the removal of eight makeshift toilets identified as contributors to open defecation and unsanitary conditions in the area.

This was revealed by Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), the Corps Marshal of LAGESC, in a statement shared on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

“In consolidation of existing efforts aimed at reducing the spate of environmental nuisances to the barest minimum in the metropolis, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI effected the removal of 54 illegal shanties which harboured 84 illegal occupants and 8 make-shift toilets beneath Eko Bridge at the Ebute-Ero area of the State on Monday,” the statement read in part.

The statement further revealed that Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole, who led the enforcement operation, explained that the action followed the expiration of a 7-day abatement notice, which had been issued but ignored by the occupants.

He noted that the Elegbeta Water Channel beneath the Eko Bridge had become a settlement for miscreants and illegal occupants, creating significant environmental and security concerns.

The area was characterized by indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the lagoon, its use as a criminal hideout, and widespread open defecation.

The operation was deemed necessary to address these issues and restore order and cleanliness to the affected area.