Lagos Government Clears Over 200 Illegal Shanties, Uncovers Dummy Gun Beneath Costain Bridge

Lagos Government Clears Over 200 Illegal Shanties, Uncovers Dummy Gun Beneath Costain Bridge

The Lagos State Government has intensified its ongoing urban renewal and public safety drive with the demolition of more than 200 illegal shanties and the dislodgement of criminal hideouts around Apapa Road, Ijora, and Costain under bridges.

The large-scale enforcement operation, coordinated through multiple government agencies, was led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa. The exercise was aimed at reclaiming encroached public spaces, restoring environmental sanity, and curbing criminal activities that had taken root in the affected areas.

During the operation, personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) made a startling discovery of a dummy gun and other dangerous weapons hidden inside makeshift structures beneath the Costain Bridge. The find, officials said, underscores the urgent need for continuous surveillance and decisive action against criminal enclaves.

Hon. Giwa described the illegal settlements as “a monumental affront to public decency and environmental order,” stressing that no responsible government would allow such lawlessness to thrive around critical infrastructure. He added that the clearance exercise was designed to eliminate traffic robberies, drug peddling, and environmental nuisances that had long troubled commuters and residents.

The operation also saw the removal of unauthorized motor parks and abandoned trucks that had been converted into criminal dens, particularly around the Ijora axis.

Participating agencies included the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), and the Nigeria Police Force, all working in synergy to restore safety and environmental order.

Hon. Giwa reaffirmed the state government’s determination to sustain the enforcement momentum and warned that anyone attempting to return to the cleared sites would face immediate sanctions.

He lauded the cooperation of the participating agencies and urged residents to support the government’s efforts in maintaining a cleaner and safer Lagos.

The enforcement drive, he said, aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s vision of achieving a safer, cleaner, and more habitable megacity through sustainable urban renewal and environmental restoration.