The Lagos State Government has issued a stern 48-hour ultimatum to illegal squatters occupying the abandoned Ikoyi Towers on Lagos Island to vacate the premises immediately.
The directive was issued by Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, during an inspection of various sites, including the Ikoyi Towers, located behind the abandoned Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi.
Comprising three blocks of 12 floors each, tagged A, B, and C, the Ikoyi Towers have become a focal point for illegal occupation, prompting the state government’s intervention.
Wahab emphasized the urgent need for evacuation, citing concerns over environmental degradation and security risks posed by the squatters. He reiterated that safeguarding lives remains a paramount duty of the government.
“Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is deeply committed to ensuring the well-being and safety of all citizens, and we will spare no effort to achieve this,” Wahab stated.
While the majority of occupants in the building are security personnel, they appealed to the commissioner for more time to arrange for relocation, citing their lack of immediate alternatives.
One of the occupants, identified as Mallam Abubakar from Ilorin, Kwara State, revealed that he moved into the building in November 2023 as a Police Spy. Abubakar disclosed that each occupant had paid a one-off rent of N200,000 to an agent, and many of them have families residing with them.
“We have our families here. Our children are in schools. Where do we go from here? Government should have compassion on us in this harsh economy,” Abubakar pleaded.
