The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) has arrested 30 persons for rebuilding illegal structures earlier demolished on the Lekki-Epe Coastal Road.

The chairman of the task force, CSP Shola Jejeloye, stated  this in a statement issued by spokesman Femi Moliki on Wednesday in Lagos.

On August 2, 2021, the Lagos State Government demolished the shanties on the  Lekki Coastal Road to pave way for the construction of the coastal road, linking Lekki to the Free Trade Zone.

The demolition was carried out after a three-day removal notice was reportedly served  on the  affected persons.

Mr Jejeloye said that the 30 persons were arrested during an inspection tour of the road when they discovered that the suspects had started rebuilding the shanties.

He noted that his agency spent two days clearing the area for motorists to use in order to decongest that portion of the  Lekki-Epe Expressway.

He said that they were shocked to see Illegal structures at Marwa ghetto a few days after clearing the area which was intended to serve as  an alternative road to  the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The chairman said that for their disobedience, the 30 of them would be arraigned for illegal occupation to serve as deterrents to others.

“Government has been very lenient with them. We were here days before notices were served on them to understand the need to move away from this road,” Mr Jejeloye said.

“Days after that, I was here to serve them a three-day removal notice. We came the fifth day and we still allowed them to move their belongings before we removed all the shanties.”

“We explained and explained again to the suspects that the Marwa Ghetto where  they had built all their shanties is standing on a strategic route that serves  as an alternative route to the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

“It also leads to the Lekki Free Trade Zone,” he said.

Mr Jejeloye said that regrouping and rebuilding the shanties by the suspects were ways of challenging the government’s authority.

“It is like daring the government. We will make scapegoats of these 30 people we had arrested and clear the shanties again,” he said.

He also said that  the agency had impounded 57 motorcycles from their  riders for plying prohibited routes in Costain, CMS and Lekki areas of the state.

The chairman said that the agency would intensify its enforcement of Lagos State Traffic Law 2018.