Scene of the demolition. Photo: LASEMA
The Lagos State Government has commenced the controlled demolition of shanties and other informal structures erected beneath high-tension electricity lines in the Ikola community, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, following a recent communal clash that left four people dead.
The exercise, being 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 had brought renewed attention to the security and environmental challenges in the area.
According to him, the communal tension also exposed the “grave danger” posed by extensive informal settlements located directly underneath high-voltage power lines.
