How illegal migrants, fleeing criminal create settlements in Lagos —Safe Habitat

A civil society organisation, Safe Habitat has raised the alarm over illegal settlements, which are sprouting in some areas in Lagos State, saying they were being created by illegal migrants and fleeing criminals.

Sunday Tribune had run a report involving a settlement in Lekki, where some foreign nationals call themselves citizens and Nigerian settlers, foreigners.

Both settlements, separated by an untarred narrow road, have engaged in sustained bloody confrontations.

The Nigerian Army also recently disclosed that some fleeing Boko Haram members from Borno State were taking refuge in Lagos State.

The organisation, Safe Habitat, therefore, called on the Lagos State government and relevant stakeholders in the state to show serious interest in the rate aliens from neighbouring countries and criminals fleeing from other parts of the country were creating these illegal settlements in some riverine communities in the state.

The group, with focus on environmental safety, in a statement by its Executive Director, Ade Williams ,on Saturday, said “we are concerned about information reaching us that some aliens and criminals fleeing from law enforcement agencies have formed the habit of creating illegal settlements and shanties in some water front communities especially in Eti-Osa local government area of the state, where they constitute environmental nuisance and launch criminal attacks against residents of Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and others.”

Williams said the earlier government and other stakeholders took decisive action against such settlements and shanties, the better for the environment, lawful residents and business development of the area and the state as a whole.

The organisation commended the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode for taking similar action last year to rid Ikoyi and Victoria Island of such environmental nuisance.

He said past government s in the state had summoned the same will to cleanse Kuramo beach of criminal activities in 2007 by dislodging illegal settlers erecting shanties there.

“We recall that some concerned residents of Eti Osa had petitioned complaining of the incessant harassment, nuisance and robbery perpetrated by the occupants of the shanties at Ebute-Ikate, Elegushi. Following that, the Ikate Elegushi Residents Association also wrote another petition to the Lagos State Task Force, Alausa, Ikeja, to further complain about the unwholesome activities of the occupants of the shanties in the same community,” the organisation said.