Lagos demolishes 650 illegal structures, shops under Idumota bridge

Abdullateef Fowewe

The operatives of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps in collaboration with the Lagos Waste Management Authority have successfully demolished over 650 illegal shanties and shops located beneath the Idumota Bridge.

The operation was aimed at dislodging traders who had set up shop at the base of the bridge to sell goods.

The operation was disclosed via a statement on the social media handle of the Lagos State Government on Friday.

It reads, “In continuation of efforts to restore environmental sanity across the metropolis, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI and in conjunction with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), on Thursday removed more than 650 illegal shanties and shops beneath the Idunmota Bridge to dislodge traders occupying the base of the structure to display wares for sale.

“Speaking on the exercise, the Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), made this disclosure at the Agency’s Command Headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi. According to him, ‘The clearance operation with the code name #LetLagosBreathe undertaken by our operatives in collaboration with LAWMA ensured that we dislodged deSfiant traders erecting shops beneath the bridge which is hazardous to the integrity of the structure and capable of causing infernos’.

“Cole also mentioned that the clearance operation was activated to forestall a repeat of the Apongbon bridge incident, which pointed accusing fingers at traders that erected electrical installations and cooling systems under the Apongbon bridge, which caused the inferno.”