The Special Intervention Team set up by the Lagos State Government has commenced the clearing of all illegal structures on set back along the Blue Rail corridor and Median on the Lagos Badagry Expressway.
The Team headed by the Assistamt Commissioner of Police, Mr Bayo Sulaimon commenced the clearing of the illegal structures from Orile end of the Lagos Badagry Expressway up to LASU-iyana Iba end of the road.
Governor Sanwo-Olu inaugurated the Special Intervention Team five months ago but decided to give the mandate to ACP Bayo Sulaimon due to his trackrecords while serving as the Chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences unit.
While speaking with newsmen at the kick off of the operation, Engineer Olasunkanmi Ojoowuro, said Governor Sanwo-Olu is worried over the high level of violations and nuisance constituted by those who have encroached the corridor.
Ojoowuro who is the Director Transport Operations, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation disclosed that the mandate of the Team was to remove all illegal structures along the Blue Rail corridor and Lagos Badagry Expressway.
He said despite the huge investment by government in the Transportation sector, some unscrupulous people decided to construct shanties on the corridor while hoodlums are also having a free day by taken over the Median thereby putting the corridor in bad light
According to him, the acts constitute a major threats to the infrastructure put in place by government in the area.
Mr Ojoowuro further said and I quote”” the exercise would be sustained said the residents whose property were removed along the corridor ignored several notices served on them by state officials up till last week Thursday. We intend to clear all the illegal structures on the Blue Rail and Badagry Expressway from Apap-Iganmu to Igbo Elerin”. End of quote.
Many shop and other property owners made frantic efforts to salvage their belongings while the Tractor cleared all incuberances on its way.
Our correspondent reports that the Special Intervention Team included personnel of the Police, LASTMA, LAMATA, and the MDAs
One of the residents in Orile-Iganmu area, Taiwo Hussein wondered why people ignored warnings and urged government to ensure sustenance of the exercise to prevent return of the encroachment.
According to him, the state government could achieve such through regular check on the cleared areas by the Special Intervention Team.
