Agege Leaders Demolish Shanties, Launch Community Security Campaign

 

By Atlantic Reports

Community leaders in Agege, Lagos State, have demolished shanties they allege were harbouring criminals and launched “Operation Secure Your Community”, an initiative aimed at protecting residents, lives and property.

Mr Omodele Moruf, Chairman of the Community Development Committee in Agege Local Government, said stakeholders agreed on the initiative at a meeting on Monday at Baale Gbogunleri’s Compound, a traditional seat and residence in the community.

According to Moruf, representatives of different community groups attended the meeting to discuss security concerns and agree on responsibilities for securing their neighbourhoods.

“The resolution is that everybody should secure their portion. We want a safer community and do not want unnecessary shanties in any corner,” he said.

Moruf said participation should cut across ethnic and other affiliations. He added that anyone attempting to undermine community security would be penalised, although he did not specify the proposed penalties or who would enforce them.

He said some residents had been affected by security problems but declined to identify the locations, citing security considerations. The account did not provide details of particular incidents.

Leaders Stress Unity Across Ethnic Lines

Alhaji Shuaibu Musa, identified as the Crowned Prince of the Agege Hausa Community, represented the Arewa community at the meeting.

He described the discussions as timely and said the initiative was a collective response to security concerns, with no ethnic undertones.

Musa pointed to generations of coexistence, intermarriages and longstanding relationships among residents as reasons to address alleged wrongdoing on its merits rather than through ethnic identity.

“Anything good is good, and anything bad is bad, whether the person involved is Hausa or Yoruba,” he said.

His remarks placed shared responsibility at the centre of the campaign, as community leaders sought cooperation from residents of different cultural backgrounds.

Demolitions Raise Questions About Process

Alhaji Waliu Aderonmu, a community chieftain, said leaders had begun removing structures they described as illegal shanties and kiosks in strategic locations.

He said the removals were intended to reduce security risks and prevent wider government enforcement measures that could affect residents.

Aderonmu also commended the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Police Officer of Elere Division for their support. His remarks did not specify whether police participated in the demolitions or what form that support took.

The account did not establish how many structures had been demolished, whether they served as homes or trading spaces, or what evidence linked individual premises to criminal activity.

It also did not explain the authority under which the removals were carried out, whether occupants received notice, or whether affected people had an opportunity to challenge the allegations. The claim that the structures harboured criminals remains an allegation by community leaders.

Aderonmu said stakeholders had resolved to establish panels to engage relevant groups, including representatives of those affected, and work towards lasting solutions.

Those discussions will need to address both residents’ security concerns and the treatment of people whose shelters or kiosks have been removed. The scope of the campaign, its enforcement arrangements and the support available to affected occupants remain unspecified.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.