Lagos Earmarks Criminal Spots, Brothels in Ikoyi, VI for Crackdown

Lists 12 major streets for massive clean-up

By Gboyega Akinsanmi

The Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that it had earmarked all known criminal spots and abandoned buildings that served as brothels in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island for clampdown.

The state government had equally identified 12 major streets, which it said, had been taken over by hawkers, street traders, shanties and abandoned buildings in the areas for massive clean-up.

The Chairman of Lagos State Task Force on Clean-up of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki, Mr. Tunji Bello, in a statement though his Public Affairs Officers, Mr. Adekunle Adeshina, issued after Bello paid an unscheduled visit to the areas yesterday.

Bello, also the Secretary to the State Government, visited the blighted areas alongside the Sole Administrators of Iru-Victoria Island and Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Mrs. Aderemi Adebowale and Mr. Felix Ona- Olawale, among others.

He listed 12 major streets for clean-up on Victoria Island to include Water Corporation Drive, Ahmadu Bello Way, Adetokunboh Ademola, Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, Ajose Adeogun, Ligali Ayorinde Street, Ozumba Mbadiwe.

Likewise, the chairman of the taskforce named the streets that would be affected in Ikoyi to include Awolowo Road, Falomo Roundabout, Kingsway Road, Glover Road and Bourdillon Road among others.  

He cited the Eko Atlantic City end of Ahmadu Bello Way and Ligali Ayorinde on Victoria Island among areas where criminal spots, brothels and drinking joints would be removed and cleaned up for safety and security.

Bello said the Eko Atlantic City end of Ahmadu Bello Way “has been taken over by miscreants and undesirable elements that masquerades as religious worshippers who sleep and defecate on the stretch of the fence.

“The exercise has provided an avenue for security agencies to dislodge criminally minded people who reside in several abandoned land spaces and buildings in areas like Ligali Ayorinde that served as brothels and drinking joints.”

The chairman, also, noted that vegetal nuisances that come with overgrown weeds and shrubs that dot many frontages and properties at Lugard Avenue, Kingsway Road and Bourdillon Road “are continually being cleared to ensure an aesthetically beautiful environment.”  

He said the taskforce “has ensured that for each of the areas where street traders were dislodged or shanties demolished, operatives of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) were positioned to ensure that such people or recalcitrant traders do not return.”

For setbacks where horticulturists harbouring street traders, especially in Awolowo Road and Ajose Adeogun Street, Bello explained that they “have been dislodged with the men of the State Parks and Gardens Agency on ground to secure such areas for greening.

“On Ahmadu Bello Way, we have a lot of infractions such as illegal parking of tricycles and conversion of median walkways to parking space and setbacks by yellow taxis, car hires services, companies without parking lots.

“All such vehicles which were not removed after due notices, have been towed away to ensure free flow of traffic. Even on the same Ahmadu Bello Way, all those who have turned the road to a major depot for charcoal have been removed and the spaces secured with motorized KAI patrol vehicles.”

The chairman reiterated that the special taskforce “is committed to carrying out its mandate as spelt out during its inauguration by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and will ensure that all environmental nuisances which dot the area are removed in a steady and systematic manner.”

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