Lagos State to Commence Demolition of Illegal Structures on Lagos-Badagry Expressway Median

Lagos State to Commence Demolition of Illegal Structures on Lagos-Badagry Expressway Median

The Lagos State Government is set to commence a massive demolition and clearance exercise along the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, following a final warning to illegal occupants.

The operation is to commence this week and will cover the stretch from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko. The state government said the exercise is aimed at restoring order, protecting public infrastructure, and improving environmental sanitation.

Speaking during the monthly environmental sanitation at Itire Road in Surulere, the government said illegal structures erected on the highway median would be removed without exception.

“This is the final notice to everyone occupying the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. We are coming to clear the entire median this week. Everything there will go. Every illegal structure will be removed,” the government stated.

According to the state, the highway median was designed as part of the road infrastructure and not for commercial activities or residential purposes.

“It is not meant to be a market. It is not meant to be a place where people erect structures. It is a highway median, and we must preserve it, especially considering the huge public investment on that corridor,” the statement said.

The Lagos State Government said thousands of enforcement personnel will be deployed for the exercise to ensure strict compliance with environmental and physical planning laws.

“We are coming with all the necessary manpower and equipment. We will remain there until the job is completed. No one should expect any exemption,” the government warned.

Sanitation and Waste Management Push
The state also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening waste management across Lagos. The government said it has ordered 150 additional waste compactors to improve refuse evacuation across the state, with the first batch expected within the next three months.

It added that the state, in collaboration with local governments, is also procuring smaller compactor trucks to improve waste collection in inner streets and residential estates.

The government said it is investing in long-term waste processing infrastructure, including a modern material recovery and recycling facility with the capacity to process about 4,250 metric tonnes of waste daily. The facility is expected to become operational next year and will reduce pressure on landfill sites by converting waste into reusable materials.

The state acknowledged operational challenges facing some Private Sector Participation, PSP, waste operators due to rising costs and inadequate equipment, but assured residents that government interventions are underway to strengthen their capacity.

The government urged residents to support the system by paying their waste disposal bills promptly.

“Waste management is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a collective responsibility. Residents must also play their part by paying for waste collection services. That is what enables the PSP operators to continue providing efficient services,” the government said.

The Lagos State Government said environmental sanitation remains a major priority, noting that Lagos generates tens of thousands of tonnes of waste daily and requires the cooperation of government, businesses, and residents to keep the state clean.

The state also encouraged parents to involve their children in sanitation activities to instil environmental responsibility from an early age.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, was present at the event alongside other top government officials