Lagos Demolishes Ikola Shanties After Four Killed
The Lagos State Government has begun demolishing shanties and other structures built beneath high-tension electricity lines in Ikola, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, two days after a communal clash killed four people.
The demolition is being carried out by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with the state police command and the Rapid Response Squad.
LASEMA said the exercise was necessary to address safety risks associated with structures built within the right-of-way of high-voltage transmission lines.
In a statement on Saturday, the agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the recent clash between members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities had also drawn attention to the security and environmental problems in the area.
He said the informal settlements under the power lines exposed residents to dangers such as electrocution, fire outbreaks and structural collapse.
According to him, relevant agencies were deployed to Ikola after the unrest to protect lives and property.
Oke-Osanyintolu said affected residents were given notice to leave the area and retrieve their belongings before the demolition began.
Read more: Lagos targets share of $38.4bn fortified rice market
“The operation was preceded by adequate notice to affected residents. Communities were granted ample time to safely evacuate and recover personal belongings before the commencement of any demolition activity,” he said.
The agency said heavy recovery equipment was being used to remove structures located within the statutory right-of-way of the power lines.
It added that all personnel involved in the operation were safe and that the situation remained calm.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that the demolition was not directed at any ethnic group or community, but was aimed at removing structures considered dangerous to everyone living beneath the power lines.
“This intervention is therefore not targeted at any ethnic group or community, but at a dangerous structural reality that threatens everyone living in its path,” he said.
Read more: Police Hunt Traffickers After Rescue Of Two Colombians In Lagos
He acknowledged residents’ need for shelter and livelihoods but said these had to be balanced with the need to prevent avoidable deaths.
The demolition follows the killing of four adult men during a clash in Ikola on Thursday.
The incident occurred at Power Line Bus Stop after a disagreement reportedly escalated into communal unrest. Several makeshift structures were also destroyed during the violence, while some residents sustained injuries.
The Lagos State Police Command later restored calm in the area.
The state government said it would continue discussions with community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to promote peaceful coexistence and ensure compliance with urban planning regulations.
It also appealed to residents and community leaders to cooperate with the exercise, saying the goal was to create a safer environment and prevent further loss of lives.
