Lagos State launches manhunt for suspected landlords of underbridge tenants
The Lagos State Government says it has commenced efforts to arrest and prosecute the ring leaders who rented out apartments to tenants, under bridges in the Ikoyi area of the state.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, Friday at the ongoing ministerial press briefing to commemorate the first Year of the second term in office of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, held at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
The commissioner said, “In a renewed step to ensure safety of lives of residents, the Operatives of Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI/LAGESC, in line with the provisions of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Management law renewed the enforcement of the use of pedestrian bridges.
“At the count, a total number of 1,032 persons were arrested for crossing the highway and failure to use pedestrian bridges.
“165 miscreants and squatters on the pedestrian bridges across the state were also dislodged and the bridges cleaned up. Just about 24 hours ago, the operatives carried out an operation that unearthed a major illegal housing settlement constructed under the Dolphin Bridge Ikoyi.
“An unbelievable 80 rooms partitioned 10×10 and 10×12 and a container used for different illegal activities was also discovered.
“All the structures have been dismantled and a total of 36 miscreants who lived under the were arrested while efforts are being intensified to arrest the ring leaders who rented out the underbridge apartments which also add electricity supply.”
On Thursday, the state government uncovered another set of apartments under a bridge located in the highbrow area of Ikoyi, Lagos State while removing illegal structures.
Wahab confirmed in a tweet on X of an apartment discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi where tenants paid N250,000 annual rent.
He explained that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container used for various illegal activities under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.
