The Lagos State Government on Saturday demolished about 17 houses at an estate near Oral Estate, before the Ikota River in Lekki, for allegedly encroaching on the river’s Right of Way (RoW).
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who led a monitoring team to the site alongside journalists, said the enforcement followed repeated warnings against illegal reclamation of the river’s alignment.
Mr Wahab explained that the ministry had earlier received complaints about developers reclaiming parts of the Ikota River corridor for construction and resale to unsuspecting buyers.
“We stopped them then, but were alerted again recently that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell to unsuspecting buyers,” he said.
He said the ministry had now taken decisive action to halt the encroachment and remove all illegal structures within the area, adding that those behind the activity would be identified and prosecuted.
Continue Reading on Premium Times Nigeria
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.