Sanwo-Olu issues final notice to illegal occupants along Lagos-Badagry Expressway

By Adeola Ogunrinde

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has issued a final warning to illegal occupants and owners of structures on the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, announcing that a large-scale demolition and clearance exercise will commence next week as part of efforts to restore order and improve environmental sanitation.

Speaking with journalists during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise at Itire Road in Surulere Local Government Area on Saturday, the governor said the state would no longer tolerate the illegal occupation of the road median, describing it as an abuse of public infrastructure and a threat to the ongoing reconstruction of the highway.

Sanwo-Olu said the operation would cover the stretch from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko, warning that all illegal structures along the corridor would be removed. “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.

The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening waste management across the state through increased investment in sanitation infrastructure. He disclosed that the government had ordered 150 additional waste compactors to improve refuse evacuation, adding that the first batch is expected to arrive within the next three months.

He further revealed that the state, in collaboration with local governments, is procuring smaller compactor trucks capable of accessing inner streets and estates where larger vehicles cannot operate, with the aim of improving waste collection in underserved communities.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the government is also investing in long-term waste processing infrastructure, including a modern material recovery and recycling facility expected to process about 4,250 metric tonnes of waste daily. He said the plant, scheduled to become operational next year, would reduce pressure on landfill sites by converting waste into reusable materials.

The governor acknowledged that some Private Sector Participation waste operators are facing operational challenges due to rising costs and inadequate equipment but assured residents that government interventions are underway to improve their capacity. He stressed that environmental sanitation remains a priority for his administration, noting that Lagos generates tens of thousands of tonnes of waste daily and requires the cooperation of government, businesses and residents to remain clean.

Also speaking during the sanitation exercise at Kosofe Local Government Area, the Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro, said the state would sustain advocacy and enforcement to encourage greater environmental responsibility among residents. The governor was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs. Olufemi Hamzat, and the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.