CITIZENS COMPASS – The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses (Taskforce) Unit on Wednesday, said it has arrested 94 miscreants while dislodging squatters at Railway line around Pen Cinema and Fagba area of the State.
The Taskforce said the operation was in its quest to maintain safety and security of residents while ensuring Lagosians live in a habitable environment through the clearing of illegal shanties and makeshift buildings at Pen Cinema through Fagba Railway corridor and its environ with a distance of about 25km
The sting operation which kicked off in the early hours was supervised by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele who took illegal occupants and squatters in that corridor by surprise.
He disclosed that the action was necessary to give residents around Fagba,Agege and Pencinema railway routes a breather after series of complaints had been received by the State Government and the Police hierarchy in the State regarding the activities of criminal elements who reside there with flagrant disregard for environmental sanitary laws of the State.
The Chairman further hinted that the presence of squatters along the rail corridor is not just unhealthy but also suicidal. He sounded a note of warning to the ejected squatters not to return to the rail corridor which was designed solely for passage of trains.
The Chairman said 94 of the recalcitrant squatters who tried to resist the actions of the Agency have been arrested and would be charged to court immediately.
Akerele assured residents in Fagba, Agege Pen cinema, its environs and train passengers that adequate patrols and regular surveillance would be carried out along the corridor to ensure that no squatter returns to erect shanties in the future.
He promised to arrest and prosecute any individual or groups of individuals who have plans of returning to the site again.
“The rail tracks are not meant for habitation or selling of.narcotic drugs Anyone caught converting this place to a den of criminals or centre of abode will be thoroughly dealt with according to the provisions of the law.
