LASTMA Uncovers Wooden Gun While Clearing Illegal Shanties

• LASTMA Uncovers Wooden Gun While Clearing Illegal Shanties in Surulere
• Giwa said the demolition followed a previous clearance operation at the Costain underbridge last week
• Occupants of the demolished shanties appealed to the state government for support and relief

Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have discovered a fake wooden gun suspected to have been used to intimidate residents during a shanty demolition exercise at the Costain Bus Stop in Surulere Local Government Area.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the demolition, monitored by our correspondent on Friday, targeted wooden shanties erected behind the bus stop shed, along the railway setback, and under a nearby bridge.

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The operation was jointly conducted by the Police, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, told journalists that the spaces occupied by the illegal squatters were designated as a bus park. The demolition was intended to relocate commercial vehicles to the designated area and prevent obstruction on the expressway.

Giwa disclosed that during the exercise, a locally made wooden AK-47 dummy gun was recovered from one of the shanties. He warned that such items could be used to perpetrate criminal activities.

“We found a locally made wooden gun, and that means they are perpetrating criminal activities here. The government cannot sit down and allow this to go on,” Giwa said.

He added that the demolition followed a previous clearance operation at the Costain underbridge last week. Giwa emphasised that restoring law and order is crucial for urban management, adding that the influx of people from other states without proper accommodation contributed to the proliferation of shanties.

Meanwhile, occupants of the demolished shanties appealed to the state government for support and relief, citing economic hardship as the reason for living in the makeshift structures. One occupant, Ngozi, said she moved to the shanty six months ago after her previous accommodation in Ijora was demolished and that her business location influenced her choice.

Frequent demolitions of illegal shanties and makeshift structures have become routine in Lagos as part of efforts to restore order and improve urban safety. Last week, LASTMA operatives also cleared traders and traffic violators along Apapa Road, Costain, and the Ijora Underbridge, impounding several vehicles during a 24-hour traffic monitoring operation.