Lagos commences enforcement of planning laws in Ikoyi, VI, others

Three weeks after it made its intention known that criminal activities occasioned by the presence of illegal structures in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island would be cleared, the Lagos State Task Force on Clean- Up of Ikoyi, Victoria Island  yesterday ordered property owners in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki whose frontages have been converted to illegal usages to immediately re possess such frontages or face prosecution.

Speaking after a meeting of the Committee, the Chairman and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello said government would not hesitate to invoke  the provision of the State Parks and Garden law of 2011 as it affects landscaping and beautification of such properties.

According to Bello, all property owners who fail to landscape and beautify their properties as specified under the Parks and Garden law of 2011 law are liable to prosecution that may attract a jail term of six months imprisonment or a fine of N250,000.

He added that the same fate awaits owners of structures who are harbouring squatters or those who have converted their structures to hotels, beer pal our, or also  providing shelter to street traders who engages in criminal activities under the cover of darkness.

The SSG stated that the government has already identified such structures and would officially communicating with the owners to dislodge the illegal occupants, stating that “failure to do so would force government to take necessary measures which may include revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy of such structures.”

He hinted that the Task Force is already deploying its team to the affected areas preparatory to the commencement of the cleanup exercise added that the team would also secure all the cleared open spaces to prevent a return of the miscreants.

“We do not want to catch anybody unaware and that is why we have been embarking on several awareness campaigns to sensitise the property owners and squatters in the affected areas to comply with the law as no defaulter would be spared when the Clean-Up exercise commences in earnest,” he said.

Streets to be affected in Victoria Island include Ahmadu Bello Way, Adetokunboh Ademola Street, Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, Samuel Manuwa Street, Sanusi Fafunwa Street, Karimu Kotun Street, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Ligali Ayorinde Avenue, Water Corporation Close, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Adeola Hopewell Road, Adeyemo Alakija, Idowu Martins, Kofo Abayomi, Saka Tinubu, Adeola Odeku and Akin Adesola Street.

Areas listed in Ikoyi are Awolowo Road, Keffi Street, Falomo Roundabout, Norman Williams, Raymond Njoku Road, Alexander Avenue,

Lugard Avenue, Club Road, First and Second Avenues, Federal Secretariat Road, Bank Road, Osborne Road, Glover Road, , Onikoyi Crescent, Cameroon Road, Bourdillon Road and Oyinkan Abayomi Drive.

The Lekki exercise are between First Roundabout and Toll-Gate and around Oriental Hotel and Admiralty Way from the Waterfront from Lekki

Phase One to Ikoyi Bridge.