Lagos uncovers under-bridge apartment where tenants pay N250,000 rent

On Wednesday, Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, announced that the government had found an apartment in Ikoyi, beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge, where renters pay N250,000 a year.

The commissioner claims that the 86 divided rooms in the under-bridge residence are "1010 and 1210 in size."

Wahab posted these details along with some videos on X.com on Wednesday.

He continued by saying that all constructions beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge had been effectively destroyed by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources' enforcement team, including a container used for a variety of illicit operations.
"A total of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge," the commissioner stated, sharing videos.

"The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources enforcement team has removed them all."

Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, a Special Advisor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, verified the removal of unauthorised squatters from under the bridge and towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi.

According to Rotimi-Akodu, 23 people were taken into custody on Tuesday during the eviction, which was conducted by representatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, or KAI.
He stated, "Today, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, authorities of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI) evicted squatters living under the bridge heading from the Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi.

These individuals built their unauthorised community beneath the bridge, putting the vital infrastructure at risk of collapse. There have been 23 arrests thus far, and MoE/KAI will keep an eye on the area. The law will operate as it pleases.

Additionally, he verified that the bridge had formerly held 86 rooms, divided into 10 by 10 and 12 by 10, for which squatters had paid an average of N250,000 year in rent.

"Progress in evacuating the residence beneath Dolphin Bridge." Eleven more people were taken into custody. The fact that the shelters were built with wood, that some residents utilised petrol cylinders, and that some had fuel stored for their generators—all of these things are disaster waiting to happen', he continued.

"Today, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, squatters living under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi were evicted by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI)," he said.

These individuals built their unauthorised community beneath the bridge, putting the vital infrastructure at risk of collapse. There have been twenty-three arrests thus far, and MoE/KAI will keep an eye on the area. The law will operate as it pleases.