LAGOS, NIGERIA — The Lagos State Government has commenced a controlled demolition of shanties and informal structures erected beneath high-tension electricity lines in the Ikola community, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, following a violent communal clash that left four people dead
The exercise, coordinated by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with the Lagos State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad, is aimed at eliminating safety risks posed by structures built within the statutory right-of-way of high-voltage transmission lines .
LASEMA, in a statement issued on Saturday by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the recent clash between members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities brought renewed attention to the security and environmental challenges in the area. The communal tension also exposed the “grave danger” posed by extensive informal settlements located directly underneath high-voltage power lines, which contravene national and international safety standards and expose residents to risks including electrocution, fire outbreaks and structural collapse .
The demolition operation was preceded by adequate notice to affected residents, who were granted ample time to safely evacuate and recover personal belongings before any demolition activity commenced . LASEMA deployed heavy recovery equipment to clear structures within the statutory right-of-way .
The government stressed that the exercise was not targeted at any ethnic group or community, but aimed at addressing what it described as a dangerous structural reality threatening residents living under the power lines . “This intervention is therefore not targeted at any ethnic group or community, but at a dangerous structural reality that threatens everyone living in its path,” the government stated .
The demolition comes two days after four adult males were killed during a clash at Power Line Bus Stop, Ikola, following a disagreement that escalated into communal unrest . LASEMA reported that several makeshift structures were also razed during the incident, while several other people sustained injuries . The Lagos State Police Command said preliminary information indicated that trouble started when some suspected area boys stopped a tricycle rider and demanded N200 from him. The rider reportedly refused to pay, leading to a violent confrontation between two groups . The police restored calm following the incident .
The Lagos State Government said it would continue to engage community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Ikola to promote peaceful coexistence and ensure compliance with urban planning regulations. The government appealed to residents and community leaders to cooperate with the ongoing exercise, saying the objective was to create a safer and more orderly environment and prevent future loss of lives . “All officers and personnel involved in the operation are safe, and the situation remains calm and under control,” the government assured .
