LGSG Demolishes Over 200 Illegal Shanties, Dismantles Criminal Hideouts in Costain and Surrounding Areas

The Lagos State Government has successfully executed a large-scale enforcement operation resulting in the demolition of more than 200 illegal shanties and the dislodgement of numerous criminal hideouts beneath bridges in key transport corridors including Costain, Apapa Road, and Ijora. The clearance exercise also included the evacuation of derelict vehicles obstructing public spaces.

Coordinated by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, the operation was carried out in collaboration with several government agencies including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), and the Nigeria Police Force.

During the operation, LASTMA operatives uncovered a dummy firearm and other dangerous weapons hidden within makeshift structures, underscoring the prevalence of criminal activities in these encroached areas. The discovery validated the urgency of the intervention aimed at curbing traffic robberies, drug dealing, and other illicit activities that had flourished under bridges and abandoned commercial garages, especially under the Ijora Bridge.

Special Adviser Sola Giwa described the illegal structures as a serious affront to public order, environmental sanitation, and the security of Lagos residents. The exercise not only restored urban space but also targeted unauthorized garages and abandoned trucks converted into dens for criminal elements.

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The enforcement team also removed unauthorized traders and cleared blocked drainage channels filled with debris, addressing perennial flooding and environmental decay. The government has warned that displaced miscreants will face strict penalties if they attempt to reoccupy cleared zones.

This integrated, multi-agency clearance operation reflects the Lagos State Government’s commitment to maintaining public safety, environmental integrity, and seamless urban mobility within the metropolis as it continues ongoing urban renewal efforts ​.