Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos shanty demolition has begun in Ikola, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, following a deadly communal clash that left four men dead and renewed concerns over the dangers of settlements built beneath high-tension electricity lines.
The Lagos State Government says the operation is aimed at eliminating safety risks associated with structures erected within the statutory right-of-way of high-voltage transmission lines and is not directed at any ethnic group.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the demolition is being carried out jointly with the Lagos State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad.
He explained that the recent violence involving members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities drew attention to longstanding environmental and security concerns in the area, particularly the risks posed by informal settlements located directly beneath power transmission infrastructure.
“The operation was preceded by adequate notice to affected residents. Communities were granted ample time to safely evacuate and recover personal belongings before the commencement of any demolition activity,” the statement said.
According to LASEMA, emergency responders and other relevant government agencies were deployed immediately after the unrest to stabilise the area before the controlled demolition commenced.
Heavy recovery equipment has been mobilised to remove structures built within the statutory right-of-way as authorities seek to prevent future disasters linked to illegal developments beneath electricity transmission lines.
The agency said the exercise is being conducted in a controlled manner and that all officers participating in the operation remain safe, while the security situation is calm.
Oke-Osanyintolu rejected suggestions that the demolition targeted any particular community.
“This intervention is therefore not targeted at any ethnic group or community, but at a dangerous structural reality that threatens everyone living in its path,” he said.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
Abah Felicity 