Lagos commences Clean-Up of Ikoyi, Victoria Island on Friday as Sanwo-Olu resuscitates Special Committee
The Special Committee on the Clean-Up of Ikoyi and Victoria Island, recently resuscitated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will commence the full enforcement of all environmental and traffic laws in the areas on Friday.
The Special Committee in a press statement on Wednesday signed by the Chairman, Mr Tunji Bello informed that the committee working in conjunction with the Victoria Island and Ikoyi Residents Association (VIIRA) and different enforcement agencies in the State will remove all illegal structures and dislodge all squatters and miscreants in Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
He explained that the committee has already conducted a reconnaissance operation of several areas in Victoria Island and Ikoyi in November to identify specific areas of infraction.
Part of the focus of the Special Committee according to Tunji Bello who is also the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, is the clearing of refuse, identification and removal of all illegal structures on setbacks, walkways, drainage alignments as well as roadside mechanics who have converted several open spaces to automobile workshops.
He added that the activities of night club owners and karaoke operators without adequate parking lots and who thereby converts major roads into parking points inhibiting free access to residents of many areas especially in VIctoria Island would be put under check.
Tunji Bello reiterated that leisure houses, night clubs and karaoke stations who engage in noise pollution will be served with abatement notices as the law dictates before the full force of the law is applied in such places, adding that religious homes who engage in noise pollution are advised to correct such anomalies before the task force commences its enforcement.
He stated that the committee would also enforce the provision of the State Traffic law during the enforcement by apprehending and prosecuting commercial motorcycle riders who ply restricted routes and drive against traffic and commercial buses who drive against traffic and pick passengers on the main road.
He said it was regrettable that highbrow Victoria Island and Ikoyi have now been heavily populated by different funny characters including operators of the old antiquated cart and three wheeler tricycle operators who park indiscriminately on walkways, affirming that the operators still have a grace period from now till the commencement of enforcement to move out of the areas or be dislodged and prosecuted.
Bello emphasized that the task force will also dislodge illegal occupants of abandoned buildings several of which have been identified and which serve as hideout for criminals and prostitutes as well as destitute who roam about the streets in daytime and perpetrate crimes at dusk.
He stated that part of the sustenance measures being planned by the Special Committee for the areas to be cleared is the deployment and retention of operatives of the Lagos Neighbourhood Watch, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI) and LASPARK to be provided with security cover by the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses Task Force under the leadership of CSP Yinka Egbeyemi.
Bello said the modus operandi of the Clean Up Task Force when enforcement commences is to conduct operations at Day and night and ensure the immediate trial of those caught for running foul of the state environmental sanitation offenses law and road traffic laws by the mobile courts which is an integral part of the operation.
He reiterated that the present administration under the able leadership of Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu intends to use the success of the impending clean up of IKoyi and Victoria Island as a test case and launching pad for the extention of the exercise to other parts of the state.
