By Kazeem Akande
The Agege Local Government in Lagos State on Friday gave traders, scavengers and illegal occupants of railway lines, five days to vacate the area.
Alhaji Ganiyu Egunjobi, its Executive Chairman, gave the ultimatum at a public enlightenment on the ultimatum.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos State Government and the council had earlier warned beggars and those traders on the rail tracks along Agege corridor to vacate the area within five days.
The warning came as the council held an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting with some community members on March 17, ahead of the planned demolition of illegal structures in the area.
According to Egunjobi, efforts have been made to create enough awareness for the illegal occupants of railway lines.
He said the Council was embarking on demolition of shanties in the area to ensure security of lives and property within the community.
“It has always come to our notice that hoodlums are using the avenue to attack and rob passers by of their phones and personal belongings.
“We are not on a witchhunt that’s why we are creating time and avenue to reach out to the people concerned to evacuate the premises before enforcement and demolitions,” he said.
Also, Mr Taofeek Bankole, the council’s Deputy Director, Health, charged beggars, traders and miscreants to evacuate the railway line before the enforcement of the order.
Bankole advised them to hearken to the government directive to avoid stiffer punishment.
“We have created and organised enough enlightenment to educate the people involved about the security challenges we are facing along the rail corridor.
“We are sanitising the area from the miscreants and hoodlums who pose a threat to the residents.
“We have given them five days to leave the area no matter what business transactions they are into; after the deadline, anyone arrested will face the wrath of the law,” he said.
Mr Afolabi Ayantayo, the Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pension had, during the stakeholders meeting, said that information had been received on various criminal activities along the rail corridor.
He said that shanties were harbouring criminals who were attacking passers by and residents at night.
”Government has invested a lot of money on the rail project and we don’t want anybody to sabotage our efforts or deface the infrastructure,” he said.
NAN reports that the enlightenment was carried out by security personnel from the Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the state ‘Kick Against Indiscipline’ (KAI) and other local security outfits. (NAN)
