EKO NEWS

Lagos Govt Issues 3-Day Quit Notice to Squatters, Traders Under Cele Flyover

Published

2 hours ago

Jan 16, 2025.

Lagos issues 3-day quit notice to squatters at Cele flyover, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
Action targets environmental and security threats from illegal activities.
Officials stress need for designated markets and proper drainage upkeep.

The Lagos State Government has issued a three-day quit and removal notice to all occupants under the Cele bus stop, flyover, and pedestrian bridge along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, warning them of consequences if the directive is ignored.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the illegal squatters, including petty traders and operators of illegal slaughterhouses and ranches, are deemed to be both environmental and security threats to local residents.

In response, some of the affected occupants have pleaded with the government, citing a lack of alternative livelihoods to support their families.

State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the announcement on Wednesday during an inspection tour of drainage enforcement operations and ongoing projects at Cele Under-Flyover and System 6c along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

Wahab emphasised that the action was necessary to facilitate a complete clean-up of the area, which had been severely degraded by the activities of illegal traders and squatters.

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The state government had previously conducted a clean-up of underbridge areas across the city, including locations such as Ijora, Apongbon, Obalende, and Dolphin, where several squatters were dislodged.

Wahab noted, “Ensuring a clean and flood-free environment is a key priority for this administration, and we will continue working towards achieving it.”

He highlighted that the area had been plagued with complaints of illegal activities, especially around the System 6c channel, which led to the inspection.

The commissioner detailed that illegal activities, such as trading and the construction of shanties under the Cele Pedestrian Bridge and System 6c, as well as the establishment of an illegal abattoir and the harboring of criminals, could no longer continue. He explained that feedback from reconnaissance teams had confirmed the scale of the problem.

“These illegal activities go beyond just trading and marketing; they include the construction of shanties that block drainage channels and pose significant environmental and safety risks,” Wahab added.

He further explained that the state government supported market activities but emphasized that traders should operate in designated markets and refrain from erecting shanties on drainage channels, setbacks, and open spaces.

The affected traders and squatters were served quit notices last week, and the removal operation, which will continue until the weekend, will cover the pedestrian bridge, the area beneath the bridge, and the entire drainage channel.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, urged traders to avoid selling on roads, medians, and sidewalks, as refuse generated from these activities often ends up littering the streets. He expressed regret that many cleaned channels were once again being filled with waste.

Residents were also encouraged to maintain tertiary drainage systems, reminding them that these infrastructures are funded through taxes paid to the government.

The entourage included Permanent Secretaries, the Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji, and the Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, as well as officials from the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the KAI Corps.

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