Lagos to sustain crackdown on illegal structures along Badagry Expressway — Commissioner 

The Lagos State Government has said it will sustain the demolition of illegal structures and shanties along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway as part of efforts to restore environmental sanity and prevent the misuse of public spaces.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known in a statement he released on Monday.

According to him, the enforcement exercise, which has been ongoing for the past three weeks, would be followed by continuous surveillance to ensure that the cleared areas are not reoccupied.

PidomNigeria Online reports that the state government has in recent years intensified enforcement against illegal structures, roadside markets and environmental infractions across Lagos, insisting that indiscriminate occupation of road setbacks, drainage channels and other public spaces contributes to flooding, traffic congestion and public health risks.

The Lagos-Badagry Expressway, a major transport corridor linking Lagos with neighbouring communities and the Republic of Benin, has been one of the areas targeted in the government’s environmental enforcement campaign.

Speaking on the ongoing operation, Wahab said the state was committed to maintaining environmental order along the corridor.

He said, “Over the past three weeks, our enforcement team has intensified the clearance of shanties, illegal structures, and other environmental nuisances along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway.

“This exercise will be followed by sustained surveillance and continuous monitoring to ensure that environmental order is restored and maintained along the corridor.”

The commissioner urged residents and traders to support the government’s efforts by refraining from converting public spaces into markets or using them for unauthorised purposes.

He said, “We urge members of the public to respect and preserve our environment by refraining from converting public spaces into illegal markets or for any unauthorised private use.”

Wahab warned that the state government would continue to enforce existing environmental laws against offenders.

He added, “Anyone found encroaching on public spaces or using them for unlawful purposes will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the extant laws of Lagos State.”

The government has repeatedly maintained that sustained enforcement, public compliance with environmental regulations and responsible waste management are critical to achieving a cleaner, safer and more resilient Lagos.