LAGOS State Government has served a quit notice on the popular Alaba Rago, a local market, being dominated by a section of Nigerians.
This came after several months of negotiation between the State Government and representatives of the occupants of the market.
The motive is to upgrade and modernise the market after a joint team of Rapid Response Squad and Lagos Taskforce, has given the occupants of Alaba Rago a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the market.
The joint team, which was led by Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi and Chairman, Lagos State Environment and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce), CSP Sola Jejeloye met the occupants of the market in clusters to inform them of the 14-day vacation order.
Disclosing this in a statement, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi stated that emerging 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.
He stated that, last week’s recovery of several guns in Alaba Rago by Ojo Police Division and the revelation by drug dealers that they regularly funnel drugs through the area to several parts of the State are the more reasons government need to move swiftly to modernise the area for there to be orderliness.
The Chairman noted 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 is bothered by the shanties and the filthy conditions of the area, hence modernising it would be in the best interest of the occupiers.
Egbeyemi beseeched the occupiers not to read ethnic and religious motives into the exercise, noting that Lagos State is a convergence point for all Nigerian, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or tribes.
