The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate eviction of all squatters living under the Opebi–Mende Bridge in Ikeja.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, issued the directive in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Kunle Adeshina, on Thursday.
Wahab said the squatters had turned the underside of the newly constructed but yet-to-be-inaugurated bridge into makeshift homes and shops.
He directed security agencies to move in immediately to dislodge the occupants and clear all illegal structures.
“The primary responsibility of every government is the protection of lives and property. The present administration will not shy away from that duty,” Wahab said.
He expressed dismay that an iconic infrastructure project nearing completion had been taken over by miscreants and squatters.
The commissioner also noted that some residents from the nearby Cane Village had joined in setting up illegal settlements under the bridge.
He assured that the state would not only remove the squatters but would also maintain strict surveillance to prevent reoccupation.
Wahab further warned automobile mechanics who had converted open spaces near the bridge into workshops to vacate the area or risk having their vehicles impounded.
During an inspection tour, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Mr. Olufemi Daramola, said immediate action was necessary to prevent the area from degenerating into a slum.
Daramola stressed that the state government had invested heavily in constructing the bridge and would not allow “undesirable elements” to compromise its safety or use it as a base for criminal activity.
He pledged that the Office of Infrastructure would work closely with the Environment Ministry to ensure the area remains clean and secure.
