Lagos govt demolishes Apapa port shanties

In order to stop further environmental degradation, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Nigerian Ports Authority have started clearing the area around the Apapa Port and demolishing unlawful constructions.

The exercise, according to LASTMA, came after "the expiration of notices served on owners of illegal shanties, kiosks, containerised shops, and abandoned trailers" in the region.

The cleanup operation, which started over the weekend with the demolition of several illegal shanties, kiosks, and containerized shops, as well as the towing of abandoned trailers and the dismantling of illegal garages, was revealed in a statement on Monday by the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba.

The destroyed buildings near the Apapa Port, according to Oreagba, not only posed health and safety issues but also served as a shelter for thieves.

“All abandoned trailers from the Nigerian Port’s first gate down to the underneath of Lilypond Bridge constituting environmental nuisance were all towed by the team.

“The area is becoming a breeding ground for miscreants and hoodlums, who, on a daily basis, extort money from innocent motorists and impede the free flow of traffic.”

Mohammed Khalil, the Nigerian Ports Authority's general manager of security, stated in his remarks that the NPA ran radio jingles and awareness efforts to inform the public about the necessity of the clean-up operation.

Source