The Lagos State Government says it will arrest and prosecute the ring leaders who rented out illegal apartments to Dolphin Bridge, Ikoyi tenants.

This is according to the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who disclosed this on Friday at the ongoing 2024 Ministerial Press briefing at Alausa Ikeja, to commemorate the first year administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy Kadri Hamzat second term in office.

“In a renewed step to ensure the safety of lives of residents, the operatives of Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI/LAGESC, in line with the provisions of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Management law renewed the enforcement of the use of pedestrian bridges,” the commission said, adding that 1,032 persons were arrested for crossing the highway and failure to use pedestrian bridges.

“An unbelievable 80 rooms partitioned 10×10 and 10×12 and a container used for different illegal activities was also discovered.

“All the structures have been dismantled and a total of 36 miscreants who lived under the bridge were arrested, while efforts are being intensified to arrest the ring leaders who rented out the illegal apartments which also add electricity supply.”

Also commenting on tenants under bridges, the Special Adviser on Environment and Water Resources, to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, further confirmed the eviction of illegal settlers from beneath the bridge towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi.

Rotimi-Akodu said in total, 23 individuals were arrested during the eviction. He said the exercise was part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal structures across the metropolis and aimed to rid Lagos of illegal structures.

“165 miscreants and squatters on the pedestrian bridges across the state were also dislodged and the bridges cleaned up. Just about 24 hours ago, the operatives carried out an operation that unearthed a major illegal housing settlement constructed under the Dolphin Bridge Ikoyi.