Metro

LASG Orders Eviction Of Squatters Under Opebi–Mende Bridge

Published

7 months ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate eviction of squatters and traders who have converted the space beneath the yet-to-be-commissioned Opebi–Mende Bridge into makeshift homes and shops.

The directive followed an unscheduled inspection of the bridge on Thursday by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, and the Permanent Secretary, Olatokunbo Oyenuga.

According to a statement signed and released by the Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Kunle Adeshina, Wahab directed security agencies to immediately move in and dislodge all squatters and demolish illegal structures erected beneath the bridge.

“The Lagos State Government has given a marching order for the immediate dislodgement of all types of squatters who have converted the underbelly of the new but yet-to-be-commissioned Opebi–Mende Bridge into homes and stores,” the statement read.

Wahab said the state government would not allow any part of the newly built infrastructure to become a haven for miscreants, stressing that protecting lives and property remained a core duty of the administration.

“It is disheartening that an iconic project which is almost ready for commissioning, has suddenly been taken over by different shades of miscreants and squatters.

“Even some people from the Cane Village have come to the underbelly of the bridge to create an illegal settlement. We will not only dislodge them but also permanently monitor the location to ensure they do not return,” Wahab was quoted as saying in the statement.

Reinforcing his stance in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Wahab wrote that the Sanwo-Olu administration “will not tolerate lawlessness,” warning mechanics who have turned the adjoining open space into workshops to vacate immediately or risk having their vehicles impounded.

“Security agencies will move in immediately, and we will sustain monitoring to ensure squatters do not return. The Opebi–Mende Bridge is a huge investment by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu–led administration, and we will protect it for the benefit of law-abiding citizens,” he wrote.

The Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Engr. Daramola, noted that the state had invested heavily in the project and warned that failure to act swiftly could turn the area into a slum. He pledged to collaborate with the Ministry of the Environment to clean up and maintain the site.

The Opebi–Mende-Ojota Link Bridge, initiated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was flagged off on 26 January 2022.

It is approximately 3.9 km long and is designed to connect Opebi in Ikeja through Mende to Maryland and Ojota, offering relief to motorists in the Ikeja-Ojota axis by easing congestion on roads such as Mobolaji Bank-Anthony and Kudirat Abiola Way.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Government has intensified enforcement operations to remove illegal structures under bridges and drainage channels in places like Ijora, Apongbon, Obalende, and Adeniji-Adele, as part of efforts to reclaim public space and address environmental, safety, and traffic concerns.

Metro

Ex-convict Arrested In Edo For Armed Robbery, Possession Of Firearm

Published

20 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) has arrested a 45-year-old ex-convict, Owen Osas, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and suspected involvement in a robbery incident.

Osas was reportedly arrested with a cut-to-size single-barrel gun during a covert operation along Fishpond Road in Eyean, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area.

The arrest reportedly comes barely a year after he was released from prison, where he had served time for illegal possession of firearms and other criminal offences.

Osas, who confessed to the latest crime, also admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.

READ ALSO:Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo
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Consequently, a victim of an alleged robbery incident, Reginia Izy, identified Osas as the person who robbed her a day before his arrest.
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The victim narrated that the suspect had approached her residence around 8 p.m., pretending to be familiar before carrying out the attack.
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‎The Deputy Commander Operations of ESSC, Richard Balogun, said the arrest was part of intensified efforts to rid Edo State of criminal elements.

READ ALSO:Edo South Senatorial Seat: Nothing Wrong Seeking Wike’s Support – Ogbeide-Ihama
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‎Balogun explained that operatives conduct both overt patrols and covert operations to track and apprehend suspects.
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He said, ‎“Our men are always on patrol. Some operate in plain clothes as part of covert strategies, while others are stationed at strategic locations.

“Osas, who is a former convict, was arrested with firearms and he also confessed to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity.”
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Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.