Residents and motorists have hailed the cleanupexercise to pull down illegal structures and shanties that are scattered round the popular FESTAC Town, in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
In a total crackdown on illegal structures and squatters, officials of Amuwo-Odofin LG, led by the council chairman, Prince Lanre Sanusi, popularly called PLS,
In collaboration with the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, popularly called KAI, also led by Corps Marshal Major Olaniyi Cole (retd), carried out the enforcement exercise.
At about 9am, the operational trucks and vans of the enforcement team rolled out to the roads and demolished over 150 shanties, evicting over 80 squatters along some major areas in FESTAC in the process.
The areas where the environmental clean-up exercise was carried out for over five hours include First Gate, Road 202, which has the bowler section, Agboju Market, as well as the interior of Festac along 22 roads.
Several makeshift structures were demolished, affecting over 80 illegal squatters, and some items were confiscated from the areas by KAI officers. Some suspects were also arrested in the process.
KAI officers arrested three men suspected to be the syndicate behind the stealing of manhole iron covers on the roads.
According to Sanusi, the newly sworn-in council boss, the initiative on the 30-day environmental sanitation exercise in the area, in company with his vice, Maureen Ashara, councillors and the council’s managers, was in line with the Lagos State Government’s agenda, which focuses on cleanliness and infrastructure development.
He noted that ninety-nine per cent of residents in Amuwo Odofin complained about bad roads and dirty environments during their campaign, and the local government was determined to address the issues.
Sanusi outlined plans to sustain the initiative, including registering and uniforming security guards, who would be paid by the local government and reimbursed by business owners in FESTAC.
The council boss expressed dismay at the brazen level of disregard for public health and safety due to the clustered environment, citing the development as a catalyst for the criminal acts, spread of communicable diseases, sexual violence and social issues resulting from the accommodation of miscreants in such hidden areas.
He expressed gratitude to the state government and other stakeholders for the opportunity to serve and promised to work tirelessly to bring back the sanity and glory of FESTAC while also using the opportunity to urge residents without voter’s cards to register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While speaking with newsmen, the council chairman said, “What actually prompted this initiative is in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda as regards the environmental cleaning up of Lagos and, by extension, Amuwo Odofin Local Government.
“And in addition to that, while we were doing our campaigns, 99.9 per cent of the requests and yearnings of the people and residents are just two things: one is the fixing of extremely bad roads and the restoration of our environment, which is considered very dirty.
“So, the council management decided to work together in bringing back the sanity in Festac Town and Amuwo Odofin extension. Festac used to be one of the best in the whole of West Africa, but suddenly I don’t know how we got here, and Festac is what it is today, but we are determined to bring back the sanity and the old glory of Festac and Festac 77. It is good to do this but also better to sustain it.
“The security in Festac – we will bring them back and sustain it. From the feedback we have been getting from the people of this residence here in Festac, we can see everyone here is happy with the action we have taken today to bring back the sanity in Festac Town and Amuwo Odofin LGA.
“I expect the people to cooperate with us in making Festac and Amuwo-Odofin a better place again.”
Also, the Corps Marshal, Cole, reiterated the agency’s commitment to upholding the THEMES Plus Agenda of Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, which seeks to make Lagos cleaner and habitable for business and investors.
“We have demolished over 150 illegal structures and dislodged at least 80 illegal squatters during this clean-up enforcement exercise by the council. We are determined to sustain the operation in ensuring a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous environment in FESTAC.”
Speaking earlier, the Community Development Committee Secretary, Evangelist Raphael Ogunjobi, and a resident of the area applauded the initiative, which they said would restore the glory of the council as well as improve the aesthetics of the place.
Ogunjobi, therefore, urged the new leadership to remain steadfast and not relent in its commitment to transforming the local government.
VANGUARD.
