Clean-Up Committee Eases Traffic In Obalende, Clears Illegal Parks, Garages

The Special Committee on Clean-Up of Ikoyi and Victoria Island over the weekend took its campaign to restore sanity to Obalende as the operatives dislodged illegal parks, garages and vehicles operators as well as traders who converted the green areas and beneath Obalende bridge to bus parks.

Speaking on the exercise, Mr. Ayo Williams, Director of Operations and leader of the enforcement team, noted that operatives also eased traffic, as several commercial vehicles which parked on Obalende Road were towed away under supervision by LASTMA.

Williams said the team also sealed up several shanties used as brothels and arrested many women of easy virtue who reside in the area, including individuals with questionable identity, stressing that the operation involving all the enforcement teams visited Odoo Street, Ojo Street, Obalende Road, Federal Secretariat Road and Keffi Street where illegal structures were dismantled.

While affirming that all illegal structures that harboured miscreants and shanties were destroyed and the wreckage carted away by LAWMA trucks as the operation progressed, the Leader of the Team said some commercial vehicles were also impounded at a beautification space converted to a motor park, just as many street traders were evicted and their wares confiscated by KAI operatives in the team.

The Director disclosed that during the operations, which lasted several hours, a total of 42 people were arrested for various Environmental Offences and 38 vehicles of different types impounded, revealing that those arrested were charged and immediately prosecuted at the Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court, which sat within the premises of the Transfer Loading Station in Sura, Lagos Island.

He emphasised that as the Clean-Up exercise continues, the team would secure all the cleared open spaces to prevent a return of the miscreants into Ikoyi and Victoria Island axis.