By Abiodun JIMOH
Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have uncovered a dummy firearm and other concealed weapons while participating in a large-scale clearance of illegal shanties and abandoned vehicles across Apapa Road, Ijora, and Costain under bridges. The operation, part of a multi-agency urban renewal initiative, saw over 200 unlawful structures demolished and criminal hideouts dislodged.
The exercise, coordinated by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, involved LASTMA, LAWMA, KAI, LAMATA, and the Nigeria Police Force. Officials said the operation targeted illegal settlements and derelict vehicles that had become hubs for criminal activities and environmental hazards.
Hon. Giwa described the conditions uncovered as “a monumental affront to public decency, environmental order, and the collective security of Lagosians,” emphasizing that the government would not tolerate such lawlessness along critical transport corridors. The clearance also included unauthorized garages and trucks that had been converted into criminal dens.
The demolition forms part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s wider urban renewal and environmental restoration agenda aimed at reclaiming public infrastructure, enhancing citizen safety, and improving the operational efficiency of the state’s roads.
Residents were urged to support the government’s efforts and to remain vigilant as authorities continue the campaign for a cleaner, safer, and more habitable Lagos.
