By By Habeeb Ibrahim
In a rather shocking revelation, it has been discovered that some desperate Lagos Island dwellers are paying up to N250,000 to get a sleeping space under the brigde in the metropolitan state.
Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment on Wednesday revealed that it was discovered that many Lagosians live under the Dolphin Eastate Bridge in Ikoyi.
According to him, 86 makeshift rooms with carrying measurements were found under the bridge with active tenants who pay an annual rent of N250,000.
In a social media post accompanied by visuals, Wahab further disclosed that his ministry has now dismantled the said structures and another cargo container used for various illicit activities from beneath the bridge.
A total of 86 cramped rooms, partitioned into small spaces, and a container used for illegal purposes, were uncovered beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge. The enforcement team from the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has since removed all these structures.
Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, a Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, confirmed the eviction of squatters from beneath the bridge leading to Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi due to illegal settlement and environmental violations. During the eviction, which was carried out by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), 23 individuals were arrested.
The squatters had created an illegal settlement under the bridge, putting critical infrastructure at risk of destruction. So far, 23 people have been arrested, and the Ministry of Environment and LAGESC will continue to monitor the area to ensure the law takes its course.
