Notorious Jungle, Agbole Finally Demolished

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

It was a mixed feeling of sadness and jubilation in Ejigbo area of Lagos on Monday after the Local Council authority in collaboration with Police operatives from Ejigbo Division led by CSP Olabisi Okuwobi finally demolished the notorious jungle known as Agbole.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the residents were jubilating while the prostitutes and criminal elements were in sad mood over the destruction of the jungle, within which they had operated for decades.

It was gathered that the Local Government officials were worried over the security reports of activities of prostitution, drug dealings and criminal elements using the place as armoury, where robbers hide their weapons for robbery operations.

P.M.EXPRESS had at different times reported about the activities of the criminals there and their effect on the entire Ejigbo and its environs, which might have prompted the demolition of the jungle by the Local Government authorities.

When our reporter visited the jungle, it was already in rubbles. The residents said that Police operatives and some Local Government officials stormed the place with caterpillar and demolished the whole area comprising about 10 brothels and slumps for criminal activities.

This was confirmed by the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area Chairman, Alhaji Monsuredeen Oyodede Bello Obe, who promised to speak on the demolition later.

The jungle, Agbole, had been an eye sour in Ejigbo area for years where various kinds of criminal activities were well known to take place in the area. It was gathered that the past Local Government leaders had avoided the place until the present Chairman, Alhaji Obe, took over and demolished the place. It was not yet known if the Local Government authorities have acquired the parcels of the land where Agbole was located but certainly the place is empty now.

Some of the residents living close to the jungle, Agbole, could not believe that it will be demolished because some leaders in the past had tried it and it did not work due to the influence of the owners.
They commended the Local Government authorities for sanitizing the area and advised the Council to watch the place to avoid the owners returning to the place.
But it was not a cheering development for some of the sex workers hanging around the place after the demolition. Some of them said they had made contributions to give to the Police and the Council authorities but were surprised that they did not accept and went on to demolish the place.