The Kogi State Government has demolished shanties and illegal structures around the Ganaja flyover bridge in Lokoja, the state capital, to curb criminal activities in the area.
The demolition exercise, led by the Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Oluwasegun Joseph, took place on Thursday.
Commissioner Joseph stated that the demolition was part of Governor Ahmed Ododo’s commitment to ensuring the security of life and property in Lokoja and its environs.
He emphasized that the structures were illegal and had become a hideout for hoodlums and criminals.
“We have been here on three different occasions, warning them to remove them but they refused. It is a new dawn in the state; scavengers and hoodlums will no longer be tolerated in the Lokoja metropolis and its environs,” Joseph said.
He warned that the state government would demolish illegal structures wherever they were found to curb the increasing rate of insecurity.
The commissioner also led his team to evacuate all illegal occupants under the newly constructed Ganaja flyover bridge, warning against loitering, trading, parking, or dumping refuse in the area.
Abdullahi Yusuf, the Acting General Manager of Kogi State Town Planning and Development Board, reiterated that the occupants had been served quit notices but remained adamant.
He commended the commissioner for taking decisive action and stated that the government would continue to remove illegal structures to maintain law and order in the state.
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