The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to apprehend and bring to justice any pedestrian found crossing highways within the state’s jurisdiction. This declaration was issued by Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, in an announcement on Sunday, February 11, 2024, accessible via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Wahab emphasized that the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESCO) has received explicit instructions to promptly arrest and prosecute individuals caught crossing the highways throughout the State. According to Wahab, such actions contravene the provisions stipulated in the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Protection Law of 2017, which expressly prohibits pedestrian crossings on highways.
He posted, “Crossing the highway is an offence in Lagos State. Lagos State Government has given a marching order to the officials of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESCO), (KAI) Marshall and other law enforcement officials to arrest anyone crossing the highway and then charge them to court immediately.
‘’Please use the pedestrian bridges across the State.’’
Furthermore, Wahab announced that the state government will initiate the clearance of all shanties, inhabitants, traders, squatters, and abandoned vehicles beneath the Obalende bridge beginning in the early hours of Friday, February 16. This action follows a four-day relocation notice issued to all squatters under the Obalende bridge, as well as illegal operators of motor parks and buses who have encroached upon the main road.
Wahab, accompanied by the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi Akodu, and other relevant stakeholders, conducted an inspection visit to the areas including the Obalende underbridge, Apongbon, Ijora, and the National Stadium.
‘’All shanties, dwellers, traders, squatters & abandoned vehicles presently under the Obalende bridge must vacate the area by Thursday afternoon as enforcement would commence in the early hours of Friday. Also, all commercial vehicle operators who are on the main roads in Obalende must relocate to the various parks provided for them because the government has had enough of the defacement of the aesthetics of Obalende by the operators and it must now be restored,” Wahab said.
He mentioned that their inspection also encompassed the ongoing cleanup efforts at Apongbon Under-Bridge, Ebute Ero, and various other areas to assess the extent of adherence to the directive from the Governor, which mandates the cessation of all forms of trading or habitation under the bridge and in all adjacent zones across Lagos State.
‘’The government is set to sustain clean and safe environment and in a couple of months, the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) will move in after the deadline to commence work on the beautification and landscaping of Obalende under bridge, Apongbon Underbridge, Ebute Ero underbridge, while the clean up exercise spreads across the state,” He added.
