14th July, 2010
The Lagos State government has issued a two-week ultimatum to thousands of illegal squatters at the Abattoir and Lairage, Oko-Oba, Lagos, Nigeria, to quit or face arrest and prosecution.
The government is also set to demolish hundreds of illegal structures built at the Abattoir and Animal Market in a bid to redevelop the meat market and ensure that people do not consume unwholesome meat.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Enock Ajiboso said yesterday that the state government stated that some lapses had been noticed in the process of managing the abattoir and that government, in line with international standard, decided to upgrade the abattoir to a standard where most of the operations would be mechanised and hygienic.
“If after two weeks of issuance of this directive anyone is still found staying in the illegal structures/shanties within the abattoir, government will have no option than to take appropriate action to deal with such illegal occupiers and their illegal structures/shanties,†he warned.
Chairman, Lagos State Taskforce, Mr. Bayo Sulaiman said after the ultimatum expires, the taskforce would move in to dislodge the squatters and demolish illegal structures and that anybody arrested would be arraigned before a special court to face the music.
— Kazeem Ugbodaga