Lagos State Government has identified the ring leader who rented out the Dolphin Estate Under-Bridge apartments to tenants as “Mopol,” even as it intensified efforts for arrest.

This came as the state government revealed that out of 450 miscreants rescued at weekend, 79 have been absorbed into some government facilities for rehabilitation after showing signs of being unwell.

Also, on Saturday, the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, directed relevant ministries to take custody of children of squatters evicted from under Dolphin Estate and Osborne, Ikoyi Bridges for rehabilitation.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, said that a statewide exercise to free Lagos of visible security risks continued at the weekend after the arrest of some suspects under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

According to Omotoso, “The ceaseless influx of miscreants, beggars, and the destitute onto Lagos streets has raised fears of insecurity of lives and property. This is unacceptable.

“As part of the exercise, 450 miscreants were at the weekend rescued. Of the lot, 371 pleaded for assistance to relocate to their various states due to the hardship they are facing in Lagos.

“79 have been absorbed into some government facilities for rehabilitation after showing signs of being unwell.

“The exercise will continue as part of the government’s responsibility to keep our citizens safe and secure.”

Also, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, alongside the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, during an inspection tour at the weekend to the Dolphin Estate Under Bridge, and Ikoyi Towers, where illegal squatters occupied illegally, said
Governor Sanwo-Olu, has directed relevant ministries to take custody of children of the squatters evicted from underbridges for rehabilitation.

Wahab, who was full of compassion for the displaced children when he visited Dolphin Estate Under Bridge, along with the other team, said Mr. Governor has approved to take custody of the children pending the time they get permanent accommodation.

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He disclosed the governor’s gesture when he met with Taiwo, Idowu and Alaba Johnsons, who are siblings during the inspection at Dolphin Estate Under Bridge.

Taiwo, 15, Idowu, 13 and Alaba, 9, Johnsons who attend Dolphin Primary and High School, said they remained at the demolished site because they have no other place they can call a home.

The children, who were seen playing a Ludo game, said their mother and father have gone out for their normal daily business activities and are expected to return later in the evening.

“We want the state government to assist our parents. We are poor from Delta State. We came to Lagos to find a living but things are too tough for our parents, that is why we are living under the bridge,” Taiwo told our correspondent.

Wahab, subsequently, directed a senior officer in charge to make contact with parents of concerned children and the Ministry of Youths and Social Development for rehabilitation of children displaced from under bridges as approved by Mr. Governor.

The commissioner said the Environment Ministry and relevant counterpart ministry will collaborate on how to take care of some of the children of school age who lived under the bridge.

The commissioner said strict monitoring would be enforced to ensure that those displaced do not return, while removal enforcement would be extended to others identified under bridges across the state.

“The government remains resolute on extending its clean up exercises round the state as it has done at Apogbon, Obalende, Dolphin, Ijora Under bridges.”

Strong indication also emerged that security personnel have continued manhunt after the ring leader of landlords, simply identified as “Mopol.”

Wahab, said, “He can only hide for a while and can’t run forever. The long arm of the law will son catch up with him.”

READ ALSO: 86 Rooms Where Tenants Paid N250,000 A Year Found Under Lagos Bridge [VIDEO]

Wahab, earlier at at the on-going Ministerial Press briefing to commemorate the first year of the second term in office of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, held at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos said Government has intensified efforts to arrest for prosecution the ring leaders who rented out the under-bridge apartments to tenants.

According to Wahab, “In a renewed step to ensure safety of lives of residents, the operatives of Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI/LAGESC, in line with the provisions of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Management law renewed the enforcement of the use of pedestrian bridges.

“At the count, a total number of 1,032 persons were arrested for crossing the highway and failure to use pedestrian bridges.

“165 miscreants and squatters on the pedestrian bridges across the state were also dislodged and the bridges cleaned up.

“The operatives carried out an operation that unearthed a major illegal housing settlement constructed under the Dolphin Bridge Ikoyi.

“An unbelievable 80 rooms partitioned 10×10 and 10×12 and a container used for different illegal activities was also discovered.

“All the structures have been dismantled and a total of 36 miscreants who lived under the bridge were arrested while efforts are being intensified to arrest the ring leaders who rented out the underbridge apartments which also add electricity supply.”

Recall that as part of the ongoing removal of illegal structures, the state government on Thursday, uncovered another set of apartments under bridge located in the highbrow area of Osborne, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Earlier on Tuesday, Wahab, had in a tweet on his official X handle page, announced discovery of an apartment under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi where tenants paid N250,000 annual rent.

In the latest tweet on his X handle page on Friday, Wahab announced that the illegal settlement was discovered under Osborne Bridge, Ikoyi.

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According to Wahab, “Another illegal settlement was discovered under the Osborne Bridge, Ikoyi. Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) commenced immediate clearance operation,” the commissioner wrote on X.

The state government had earlier dislodged tenants under Dolphins Estate Bridge, who paid N250, 000 annually to landlords involved in the nefarious act.

The tenants who were dislodged in the process were discovered during an enforcement exercise by officials of the state government during demolition of illegal structures

He added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilised for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

The commissioner wrote, “18 individuals squatting illegally under the bridge leading from Dolphin Estate were arrested yesterday 30th of April, 2024 by the officials from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps.

“A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

“They have all been removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.”

Wahab warned residents to desist from unhealthy environmental practices that could undermine government effort in protecting the environment against degradation and other climate change effects.

He added that various agencies on environmental sustainability have been empowered to prosecute individuals or organizations caught degrading the environment in any form.

READ ALSO: NAF Kills Several Terrorists In Borno, Niger Airstrikes

Commissioner revealed that “the state government is committing huge resources on environmental protection against all forms of degradation, especially, the fight against climate change and its attendant effects on human health and the ecosystem.”

He stressed that the state government would intensify efforts on enforcement to ensure compliance with the environmental laws to achieve a vision for a sustainable environment.

According to Wahab Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, which acts like the State environmental police, in the last 3 months had carried out 367 enforcement operations in households, markets, hotels, warehouses, sales points, industries, worship centers, Night clubs and other places for various environmental violations, while abatement notices were served on others for discharging raw sewage into the lagoon.

He warned that LASEPA has been empowered more than before to ensure total compliance with state environmental laws 2017 across the state to safeguard the environment against further degradation because of its consequences on human health and the ecosystem.

The commissioner who explained that various enforcement operations carried out by his Ministry and its agencies across the State were in the interest of the public, noted that the State government would not fold its arms while allowing selfish few to continue undermining reform efforts in preserving the environment for a better living and sustainable growth.

Also commenting on tenants under bridges, the Special Adviser on Environment and Water Resources, to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr. Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, further confirmed the eviction of illegal settlers from beneath the bridge towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi.

Rotimi-Akodu said in total, 23 individuals were arrested during the eviction, which was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as KAI.

He said the exercise was part of ongoing clampdown on illegal structures across the metropolis and aimed to rid Lagos of environmental nuisance.

VANGUARD

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Components of Operations Hadin Kai and Whirl Punch in the North East and North Central killed several terrorists in airstrikes in Borno and Niger.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, on Sunday in Abuja.

Gabkwet said the air components had continued to obliterate terrorists and destroy their structures, equipment and mobility, thereby limiting their ability to attack ground troops and innocent Nigerians at will.

In the North East he said the air interdiction was on May 3 authourised and conducted over Chinene, a location tucked inside the Mandara mountain.

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Terrorists had been observed to be emanating from various locations and assembling ostensibly for a meeting.

According to him, seven gun trucks were also observed parked under trees within the same location.

Gabkwet said the aircraft bombarded the assembly area and tree coverings and destroyed their weapons and mobility.

He said that Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the strikes were successful as several terrorists were neutralised and logistics destroyed.

According to him, similar airstrikes were conducted same day by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in a pre-emptive air strikes over terrorists hibernating at Allawa village, near Shiroro town in Niger.

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The NAF spokesman said the mission was conducted following credible intelligence which revealed the migration of terrorists into the village after the mass exit of locals for fear of their safety.

He said the terrorists had, on May 1, stormed the deserted Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area and torched the Central Primary School.

“In the evening of the same day, another group of terrorists also arrived at the location, wielding AK-47/49 rifles after invading Galapai village in Galadima Kogo District of Shiroro.

“Accordingly, to prevent further occupation as well as pursue the terrorists from the location, the air component scrambled a formation of its platforms to attack the location.

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“On arrival at the location, several terrorists were sighted and engaged effectively.

“Furthermore, following credible intelligence as well as detailed aerial observation, which confirmed the presence of their cache of arms hidden inside Allawa Forest, the air component further carried out air strikes at the location,” Vanguard quoted him saying.

Gabkwet also said that the NAF carried out air strikes North of Arugbana and Temakiri in the Niger Delta, where illegal refining sites were observed and destroyed.

According to him, through this action, the capabilities of oil thieves to continually sabotage and destroy oil pipelines were minimised.

The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has issued a 48-hour eviction notice to illegal occupants of the Ikoyi Towers in the Lagos Island area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this during an inspection of the estate on Saturday.

In a post on X.com, Wahab stated that hundreds of undocumented residents were seen in the premises, which lacked sanitary provisions.

He added that they pose security and environmental threats to the state, hence the eviction notice.

Wahab wrote, “Abandoned Ikoyi Towers which we observed were housing illegal occupants posing a security threat to the environment and a nuisance to the state.

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“An undocumented number of persons running into hundreds were seen on the premises with no sanitary provisions and whose daily activities could not be ascertained.

“They have been given a 48-hour vacation notice to leave the area.”

The commissioner further stated that the team also conducted an inspection to assess the enforcement of Osborne under bridge after the illegal structures harbouring several people were removed.”

Recall that  on Wednesday that the state government discovered 86 partitioned rooms under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi, where tenants were said to be paying N250,000 per annum for the makeshift apartment.

Watch video below courtesy The PUNCH