The Lagos State Government has again washed its hands off the demolition of Sabo market on Itoikin Road in Ikorodu, which was carried out a fortnight ago by those it described as unscrupulous and desperate developers suspected to have acted in connivance with certain local government officials, affirming that government would no longer tolerate brazen act of illegality.
A statement issued on Thursday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, while reacting to rumours still circulating on the demolition, said the government would not hesitate to deal decisively with persons involved.
Mr. Ayorinde insisted that the state government was not in any way involved in the demolition of the market and would not demolish any market or property in the state without following due process.
While noting that preliminary investigation revealed that the market was demolished by some private developers, in connivance with some local government officers and a certain uniformed personnel who acted beyond their brief, the government said it had observed a pattern where such developers engage uniform men to carry out spurious orders without any proper notice being served to deny market women of the means of their livelihood.
The commissioner said the government would henceforth beam its searchlight on the excesses of developers, local government officials and their cohorts in order to protect the interest of hard working traders and forestall such occurrences going forward.
“The current administration in the state is committed to the socio-economic empowerment of the people and has formulated policies and taken measures that would guarantee their economic well-being.”
“It would therefore not fold its arms and watch desperate individuals or groups deny hard working people in the state their means of livelihood,” Ayorinde said.
The statement reiterated the commitment of the government to protect the right of every citizen and warned against further acts of connivance between developers and their cohorts.
