Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed the demolition of all shanties and illegal structures along the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, giving occupants a 72-hour ultimatum to vacate ahead of a large-scale enforcement operation.The governor issued the directive on Saturday after supervising the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Surulere Local Government Area, where he was joined by his wife, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu.
Speaking to journalists after the exercise, Sanwo-Olu said enforcement teams would begin clearing the affected corridor next week, covering the stretch from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko.
“This is the final notice to everyone occupying the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. From next week, we are coming to clear the entire median. Everything there will go. Every illegal structure will be removed,” he said.
According to him, the median of the highway was never designated for commercial activity or informal settlements, adding that the government would not allow public infrastructure to be illegally occupied.
‘Not a Market or Settlement’ — Governor
Sanwo-Olu stressed that the corridor is part of a major public infrastructure project and must be protected from encroachment.
“It is not meant to be a market. It is not meant to be a place where people erect structures. It is a highway median, and we must preserve it, especially considering the huge public investment on that corridor,” he said.
He added that the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, a 10-lane road financed with public funds, serves as a key gateway into the state and must be kept clear and functional.
“I will not fold my arms and allow them to turn that international gateway into a slum. This is a notice that I am giving officially to everybody on that corridor. We are starting next week, and we are going to deploy thousands of men there,” the governor stated.
The planned demolition forms part of the state’s broader efforts to enforce environmental sanitation laws and improve urban order along major transport corridors.
