Env. Commissioner says space to be redesigned, handed over to private firm for beautification
The Lagos State Government has issued an immediate quit notice to all squatters operating under the Obalende Bridge and motor park, ordering them to vacate the area within hours as part of plans to redesign the space into an environmentally sustainable and functional public facility.
The directive was announced on Wednesday by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, during an inspection tour of the area.
According to Wahab, the affected occupants had been previously notified and advised to relocate as far back as 2024, stressing that the government had now secured all necessary approvals to proceed with the project.
“We have the approval from the state government already; the essence is to clean it sustainably and transform it into an environmentally sustainable space,” the Commissioner said.
He disclosed that enforcement officials from the Ministry were already on ground to implement the quit order and facilitate the formal handover of the space to a major private-sector company that has expressed interest in developing the area under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.
Wahab explained that the commencement of the project was delayed due to extensive consultations with the interested company to ensure that the proposed design aligns with environmental sustainability standards and long-term maintenance plans.
The redesigned Obalende under-bridge space, he said, will feature a motor garage, public toilets, sleeping bays, and electric vehicle charging points, among other facilities.
“We are redesigning the space for sustainability and to rid it of hoodlums who have been terrorising residents in the area,” he added.
The Commissioner emphasized that the initiative is aimed at making the area habitable, secure, and functional, in line with Lagos State’s vision of a modern 21st-century economy.
“Once we hand over the space, we will follow up and also share the proposed design with the media,” Wahab stated.
During the inspection, the Commissioner and his team also visited Oja Oba on Lagos Island to review a beautification design proposed by the Lagos Island Local Government, which has requested approval to finance and manage the space under the bridge.
Wahab reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that open spaces are properly utilized, citing the successful transformation of the Osborne under-bridge area into a football pitch. He further revealed that the Adeniji/Ilubirin Loop, currently associated with various illegal activities, will also be redeveloped into a safe and beneficial public space.
“We have taken drone shots of the area, and we will work on how to put the spaces into proper clusters,” he said.
The Commissioner warned residents against illegal waste disposal and reminded traders that street trading remains prohibited under the Lagos State Environmental Law.
Locations inspected during the tour included the Obalende under-bridge motor park, Ilubirin under-loop, and Oja Oba on Lagos Island.
Wahab was accompanied by the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretary, Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji; Permanent Secretary, Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegeshin; General Manager of LASPARK, Mrs. Toun Popoola; KAI Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Cole (Rtd); General Manager of LASWMO, Engr. Adefemi Afolabi, alongside other directors from the Ministry and its agencies.
