The arrested occupants of the 86-roomed under-bridge apartments under Dolphin Estate Bridge, Ikoyi, Lagos, and their self-acclaimed landlords will soon be prosecuted by the Lagos State Government.
The tenants were allegedly paying about N250,000 in annual rent.
The spokesperson of Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Kunle Adeshina told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that, while the tenants might have been taken to a mobile court already, the self-acclaimed landlords would be prosecuted for using public street lights to supply power to the area.
The reports of the arrest of the occupants paying N250,000 as annual rent to live under the bridge left many in shock, with some Nigerians faulting the desperation of the occupants.
Sharing videos of the incident on his X account on Wednesday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab, said: “Eighteen individuals squatting illegally under the bridge leading from Dolphin Estate were arrested yesterday, 30 April 2024, by the officials from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps.
“A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.
“They have all been removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources”.
Special Adviser to the state Governor on Environment, Mr. Kunle Rotimi-Akodu a said that about 23 persons were arrested, adding: “Squatters dwelling under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, were evicted today, Tuesday, 30 April 2024, by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps.
“These people created their illegal settlement under the bridge, thereby exposing the critical infrastructure to impending destruction. Twenty-three people have so far been arrested, and the MoE/KAI will continue to monitor the place. The law will take its course”.
When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Thursday, it witnessed some persons taking away, in sacks and bags, valuables suspected to belong to the occupants.
On being approached, one of them said that he had come to pick up some belongings of his brother, who was an occupant in one of the dismantled apartments.
“My brother stayed here. We have come to pick up some of his property”, he said, and then walked away.
A local also said that some people used to buy cold drinks and water from one of the occupants.
“This is where we used to buy our cold drinks”, he said.
Adeshina said: “They (the occupants) will be prosecuted if they have not already been taken to court. We have mobile magistrates’ courts that handle such infractions.
“Although the persons collecting money from them are not government officers, it may be difficult to prosecute them. But what we intend to do is, for the fact that we learnt that they were tapping power supply from the street lights, this will be a basis for prosecuting the persons who were purported to be housing them and collecting money”.
He added that the state government would ensure that, apart from enforcement and arrest, the place would be protected from being taken over by miscreants.
He further said: “We will not allow miscreants to take over the place again. The place was discovered based on complaints from some residents. I can assure you that place will be taken over and protected by the government”.
Source: The PUNCH
