Four weeks after issuing public notices and ultimatum, the Lagos State Special Task Force on the Clean-Up of Ikoyi, Victoria Island over the weekend started the clearing of all illegal structures and shanties.
The Clean-Up operation team which was led by the Chairman of the Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, Supol Yinka Egbeyemi, commenced simultaneously in Ikoyi and Victoria Island at 8am on Saturday and has continued on Sunday morning.
It featured the removal of kiosks, sheds by the roadside, disused tyres, pulling down of shanties and structures on road setbacks, medians and walkways by bulldozers and payloaders.
The Clean Up team comprised of operatives of the Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), officials of State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), State Parks and Garden Agency (LASPARK), Ikoyi- Obalende LCDA, Iru-victoria Island LCDA and representatives of Victoria Island Ikoyi Residents Association (VIIRA).
The Ikoyi team which started it’s Clean -Up from Awolowo Road down to Falomo through Bourdillon Road before terminating at the frontage of Lekki-ikoyi Link Bridge, removing items and structures by the roadside and also apprehended some commercial motorcyclists who rode against traffic.
The team in Victoria Island commenced the Clean -Up at the Ozumba Mbadiwe Waterfront which had not only become a massive refuse dump but also an automobile workshop and food court.
At the end of the Clean-Up at the Waterfront, the heaps of garbage was carted away by trucks of LAWMA and the site secured by the State Parks and Garden to prevent re-entry by the owners of the shanties.
The Task Force also cleared Water Corporation Drive in Victoria Island which is a location to several infractions like building on the median and setback.
All the illegal structures on the road setback at the beginning of Water Corporation Drive which included bars, canteens, block moulding industry and a car wash were all pulled down.
The stretch of Ahmadu Bello Way was also touched by the Clean-Up team which removed garbage on the roadside whilst affixing 12hours removal notices on indiscriminately parked vehicles and equipments.
The Clean Up team also touched many of the abandoned State Liaison offices on Ahmadu Bello Way which were being inhabited by squatters including the former Kogi Liaison Office which had been converted to a canteen and gave directives to occupiers to do the needful or risk a sealing off.
A large expanse of land on Ligali Ayorinde which had been taken over by squatters who erected alcohol joints, canteens and a home for undesirable elements was cleared by the Task Force after the evacuation of the squatters, their goods and properties.
The Chairman of the Task Force and Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello while inspecting the level of Clean-Up at Ahmadu Bello Way, Ozumba Mbadiwe Waterfront and Ligali Ayorinde used the opportunity to once advice owners of illegal structures not yet touched to willing pull them down before the Task Force does so.
The Clean- Up exercise which is a continuous one is aimed at restoring the original masterplan of Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki.
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