Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – A joint Lagos enforcement team has uncovered a fake wooden firearm during the demolition of illegal shanties at Costain Bus Stop in Surulere.
The operation, led by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and supported by the Police, Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, Lagos Waste Management Authority and the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, dismantled temporary structures along the railway corridor and under the bridge.
Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, on Friday said the area had been designated as a bus park but was illegally converted into residential and commercial shelters.
“We found a locally made wooden gun, which suggests criminal activity was taking place here. The government cannot allow this to continue,” Giwa said.
He explained that the demolition followed earlier clearance efforts designed to ease congestion and improve order around the busy transit hub.
Giwa blamed the growth of shanties on migration pressures and inadequate formal housing, warning that lawlessness cannot be excused.
“If we want a society that works, everyone must obey the law,” he said.
Displaced occupants appealed for government support, saying economic hardship forced them into makeshift accommodation.
Lagos authorities maintain that recurring demolitions are necessary to improve urban safety and protect public infrastructure.
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Mirian Gom 
