The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, has demolished 138 shanties in the Ajao Estate area, where tenants reportedly paid between N60,000 and N100,000 in rent to an organised syndicate.
The demolition resulted in the dislodgement of 169 illegal residents occupying the Ajao Estate Canal bank.
In a statement by LAGESC’s Head of Public Affairs and Advocacy, Ajayi Lukman, the Corps Marshal, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (Retd), confirmed the demolition on Thursday at the agency’s Command Headquarters in Bolade-Oshodi.
‘‘Our intelligence sources identified the humongous infractions across the Ajao Estate Canal banks stretching several metres where people were living illegally in shanties and paid rents between 60,000 to 100,000 Naira to a particular syndicate and this made us activate our enforcement teams for a total dislodgement,” Cole stated.
He expressed dismay at the brazen level of disregard for public health and safety due to the clustered illegal encampment, citing the development as a catalyst for the spread of communicable diseases, sexual violence and social issues resulting from the accommodation of miscreants in such hidden areas.
Cole reiterated LAGESC’s commitment to advancing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda, aimed at making Lagos cleaner and more hospitable for residents and businesses alike.
The LAGESC boss also urged residents to avoid renting in unauthorised encampments, warning that more violations would be identified and that additional demolitions would follow as necessary.