Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has issued a directive for the immediate demolition of all shanties and illegal structures situated along the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. Occupants have been given a 72-hour ultimatum to vacate the area ahead of a comprehensive enforcement operation scheduled to commence next week.
Governor Issues Final Notice During Sanitation Exercise
Mr. Sanwo-Olu announced the directive on Saturday after leading the state's monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Surulere Local Government Area, accompanied by his wife, Ibijoke. Speaking to journalists after the exercise, the governor stated that enforcement teams would begin clearing the corridor next week, focusing on the stretch from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko.
“This is the final notice to everyone occupying the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. From next week, we are coming to clear the entire median. Everything there will go. Every illegal structure will be removed,” he said.
Preserving Public Infrastructure and Investment
According to the governor, the highway median was never intended for commercial activities or informal settlements. He stressed that the state would not allow public infrastructure to be encroached upon. “It is not meant to be a market. It is not meant to be a place where people erect structures. It is a highway median, and we must preserve it, especially considering the huge public investment on that corridor,” he added.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the 10-lane expressway, built with taxpayers' funds, serves as a major gateway into Lagos and must be protected from illegal occupation. “I will not fold my arms and allow them to turn that international gateway into a slum. This is a notice that I am giving officially to everybody on that corridor. We are starting next week, and we are going to deploy thousands of men there,” he said.
Impact and Next Steps
The demolition order affects hundreds of makeshift structures used for trading and shelter along the median. The enforcement exercise is expected to involve multiple state agencies, including the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and the Lagos State Building Control Agency. Residents and traders in the affected area have been advised to remove their belongings within the 72-hour window to avoid loss of property.
