Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Lagos State Task Force on Clean-up of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki yesterday raided the house of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi (rtd), arresting eight prostitutes.
Apart from eight prostitutes that were arrested during the raid, the taskforce equally apprehended three other persons in Azazi’s building located on 5 Club Road in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The taskforce carried out the operation as part of the state government’s exercise to clean up illegal structures, restore abandoned buildings and enforce original master plan of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki.
Most young women arrested during the raid confessed that they were from Benue State and will be charged to court by the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit.
After the raid, the chairman of taskforce, Mr. Yinka Egbeyemi, said it was carried out following series of complaints the state government had received from the residents of Club Road about the activities taking place in the building especially at dusk.
Egbeyemi said when questioned, all the suspects could not offer explanations on their means of livelihood, adding that all the suspects would be charged to court soon based on circumstantial evidence.
He, therefore, warned that the committee “is resolute about its determination to rid Ikoyi and VI of abandoned buildings and miscreants. The clean-up committee will focus on Lekki where infraction has been identified and will be cleared to restore the original masterplan of the areas.”
Egbeyemi said before this latest operation, the taskforce had earlier gone to the same abandoned building which has become a convergence point for all sorts of characters including uniformed men who allegedly purchased alcohol and drugs while at night it served as a joint and brothel for women of easy virtues.
He said after the first visit, a surveillance was placed on the building which is close to the Ikoyi Police Station and indicated that different questionable characters were still patronising the place and terrorising the residents, a development which spurred the Clean-up team to act.
The paraded suspects include Ajoke Precious 22 from Kogi, Akaana Agateh 26 from Benue, Agbo Elizabeth 18, Benue State, Augustin Mary, Benue, Ajanjo Blessing 24, Mary Douglas from Bayelsa 22 and Mati Dodi, 28.
Another one, Mary Douglas, 22 from Bayelsa said she arrived in Lagos in January to stay with her uncle who has since relocated out of Lagos.
