Just in: Criminal Den: Vacate Market In 14 Days-RRS Orders Alaba Rago Traders

Lagos State Government through a joint team of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, and Lagos Taskforce, has served occupants of Alaba Rago a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the market.

Commander, RRS, Chuef Superintendent of Police,CSP, Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed this on Thursday, during a sensitization visit to the market.

Egbeyemi led a joint team including Chairman, Lagos State Environment and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce), CSP, Sola Jejeloye to meet traders in the market in clusters to inform them of the 14-day vacation order.

Egbeyemi said the measure has become necessary after several months of negotiation between Lagos State Government and representatives of the occupiers of Alaba Rago over the modernisation of the market.

He stated that emerging intelligence security reports from the area have shown that Alaba Rago has become a den of criminals stressing that the state government has concluded plans to modernize the place in the shortest possible time in the best interest of the residents.

Egbeyemi stressed that, last week’s recovery of several guns in the market by Ojo Police Division and the revelation by drug dealers that they regularly funnel drugs through the area to several parts of the state further necessitied the need to move swiftly to modernise the area and engender orderliness.

He stressed that the demolition of the area is in conformity with Government’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda on Environment and Security, adding that government was worried by the shanties and the filthy conditions of the area, hence, modernising it would be in the best interest of the occupiers.

Egbeyemi, therefore, urged occupiers not to read ethnic and religious motives into the exercise, saying that “Lagos State is a convergence point for all Nigerian, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or tribes.”

Jejeloye noted that series of meetings had been held with all the major stakeholders in the past when demolition should have taken place during the Ramadan.

He added that Government was sensitive to delay it in order for those who travelled for the Ramadan to be around.

“After the 14-day ultimatum for occupiers to temporarily relocate for the cleaning up and modernisation, the team will not listen to further excuses from the affected traders,” Jejeloye stated.

 

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