By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
In an avowed zero tolerance for environmental degrading, the Lagos State Taskforce has vowed to deal decisively with them according to extant law or force them to leave the state.
Chairman of the agency, CSP Jejeloye made the declaration at the weekend during a clean up exercise in Lekki area of the state.
In a statement by the Director Public Affairs Unit of the Agency, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem,
the Taskforce boss warned squatters to vacate the large expanse of land which had already been marked as an alternate route by the State Government.
It reads, “The Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce), CSP Shola
has said that the Agency will all do all it takes in ensuring that environmental degraders scattered across various parts of the State are either brought to book or made to leave the State.
” He made this declaration today at Lekki Coastal Road where the Agency carried out a clean up exercise after serving squatters in the area several notices to evacuate the axis.
“:The exercise which was led by the Chairman kicked off at about 3am and lasted several hours. He warned squatters present to vacate the large expanse of land which had already been marked as an alternate route by the State Government.
“This is a complete exercise which has been replicated in other parts of the State like Owode and Water works. I gave them a seven day notice and warned them that it would not be business as usual but they thought it was a joke. It is clear now that the State Government means business”. He stated.
Jejeloye also assured of sustenance of the exercise stating that the Agency would ensure that the axis would become a pindown point with patrol vehicles stationed on both ends to prevent anyone from from inhabiting there any longer.
“With this action of ours today, it will be noticed that criminality on our highways especially Lekki-Epe Expressway would reduce drastically. The perpetrators of traffic crime make use of these shanties as their take off point but with this new development, it will be a thing of the past”
Jejeloye assured residents that plans are in the pipeline by the State Government to take proper possession of the Road and construct something meaningful and beneficial to all Lagosians. He urged Lagosians to report anyone involved in activities that could be harmful to the environment and appealed to eveyone to join hands in ensuring that Lagos State is safe, secure and habitable for all.
