Lagos Task Force saves man from jumping into well

The Lagos State Task Force on  Environmental Sanitation, on Sunday averted a suicide attempt by one Sunday, who allegedly wanted to jump into an open well, as bulldozers of the agency mowed down illegal shanties at White Sand, Jakande Estate, on Lekki-Beach Road, Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The shanties were considered to be one of the most dreadful criminal/hoodlum hideouts.

More than 2,500 illegal shanties constructed by criminals and hoodlums were affected in the exercise, according to a release made available to Metro by the agency’s spokesperson, Mr Taofiq Adebayo.

Sunday, who hailed from Enugu State and moved to Lagos for business ventures in 2007, was said to have decided to end his life inside the well because he had lost hope, but was promptly intercepted by three police officers attached to the agency.

Chairman of the Task Force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police, who led the demolition exercise, disclosed that many of the affected illegal shanties were hideouts for criminals and hoodlums, who  freely smoked marijuana and engaged in prostitution.

He said innocent members of the public who had been complaining about activities of these criminal elements around Victoria Island, Lekki and Ajah could now sleep with their two eyes closed.

The Task Force chairman stated further that the state government had invested heavily on infrastructural development across the state to attract both local and foreign investors.

One of the residents, who simply identified himself as Engineer Damilola Okanlawon, said the demolition exercise carried out by government was long overdue, as criminals and hoodlums living around the Jakande Estates always robbed and attacked innocent residents at night with dangerous weapons.

Also, a trader whose illegal shanty was affected, Mrs Ene Ada from Benue State, disclosed that since the government served them both ‘Removal Order’ and ‘Demolition Notice,’ she had removed her wares and relocated to another area.

She confirmed that criminals and hoodlums had broken into her shops thrice within six months.