The government found 86 divided rooms, measuring 10 by 10 and 12 by 10, beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi, Lagos Island, according to Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner for environment and water resources for Lagos State.

The improvised flat beneath the bridge is reportedly rented for N250,000 annually by tenants.

Wahab, on Wednesday, posted videos along with this information On X (formerly known as Twitter)

He went on to say that all of the constructions beneath the Dolphin Estate bridge had been successfully removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, including a container used for criminal activity.

Sharing videos he wrote, “A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

“They have all been removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources”

A Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, further confirmed the eviction of squatters from beneath the bridge towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi over illegal settlement and environmental violations.

Rotimi-Akodu mentioned that 23 individuals were arrested during the eviction, which was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as KAI on Tuesday.

He wrote, “Squatters dwelling under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi were evicted today Tuesday, 30th of April, 2024 by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI).

“These people created their illegal settlement under the bridge, thereby exposing the critical infrastructure to impending destruction. 23 persons have so far been arrested and MoE/KAI will continue to monitor the place. The law will take its course.”

He also confirmed that the bridge has hitherto housed 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10 with squatters paying an average rent of N250,000 per annum.

“Continuation of the removal of abode under Dolphin bridge. 11 more persons were arrested. It is important to note that wood materials were used to construct the shelters, some occupants used gas cylinders, and some had stored fuel for their generators, these are recipes for disaster,” he added.

Dave Umahi, the minister of works, has said that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) previous presidential candidate, is urging the southeast’s populace, particularly the ignorant, to rebel against the government.

Even after putting the folks into trouble, Obi, according to Umahi, would not stand up for them.

During a gathering on Wednesday to recompense landowners impacted by the proposed Lagos-Calabar coastal route, he made the statement.

The Federal Ministry of Work oversaw the exercise’s organisation.

The 700-kilometre coastal highway has been enmeshed in controversy following the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort, valued at $200 million, to create a right of way for the project which is estimated to cost the federal government N15 trillion.

After the demolition, a visibly worried Paul Onwuanibe, the Group CEO of Landmark, told BusinessDay that about 70 percent of the beach was destroyed by the government bulldozer, describing the action as “insensitive.”

“What is left of these businesses are the rubbles you can see (in video clips he captured while the demolition was going on). Those are people’s investments and means of livelihood reduced to mere rubbles; so many jobs have been lost and many Nigerian families are in for it,” Onwuanibe said.

On his part, Obi slammed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for going on with the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project in defiance of public outcry.

The presidential candidate expressed displeasure that the government is embarking on a job-losing project at a time of rampant unemployment.

Obi said it was not too late to discontinue the Lagos-Calabar highway project, adding that urgent necessities are nationwide security, poverty eradication, healthcare, and education, especially for the poor and underprivileged.

He had also described the reported demolition of businesses and residences in the designated right of way for the project as insensitive and heart-wrenching, lamenting that livelihoods were being wiped away, lifetime investments wasted, and jobs disappearing as a result of the demolition.

In a post on his X handle on Tuesday, the former Anambra State governor said: “The outcry against this project has been overwhelming due to the current situation in the country. However, reports as of yesterday indicate that demolition of businesses and residences in the designated right of way for the project has commenced from the Lagos end.

“The sight of this insensitive demolition is heart-wrenching. Livelihoods are being wiped away, lifetime investments are being wasted, and jobs are disappearing as bulldozers roar through. The homes of the elderly are being overturned by the power of bulldozers.

“This hasty flag-off defies the widespread outcry by the public, especially business and property owners directly affected by the project. Nobody knows the outcry that will accompany this project as it progresses towards poor rural landscapes.

“Thousands of jobs are about to be lost, with investments above $200 million at risk. Over 100,000 jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector face imminent extinction, along with 80 small businesses and their 4000 mostly youth employees.”

However, Umahi insisted there was no inhumanity meted to Landmark and that the matter should be buried because he was actively involved.

The former Ebonyi State Governor alleged that Obi goes around to condemn people, thereby bringing judgment upon himself.

He said: “It brings to some of the comments made by my brother, his Excellency Mr Peter Obi, I am not supposed to comment about it because some people have already done the work. And I know what Arise Television brought courtesy of Channels Television, they were bringing similar scenarios when His Excellency Peter Obi was the governor. He made a statement saying ”Any infrastructure that stands in the way of the road must go. And there would be no compensation paid.” That’s what he said.

“But look at me, by the human face of the renewed hope agenda administration, we are even paying for people who are illegally staying on the coastal line, and don’t have valid infrastructure and valid documents. That is mercy, that’s mercy… You know some people darken counsel without knowledge. You know there’s the devil in the details.

“When you condemn people, you bring judgment upon yourself. And that is what he (Obi) has done. And I think he’s inciting some of the south east people that are not well informed. He is inciting them. And gets them into trouble. And he doesn’t go to fight for them. Wisdom is a defence. And I want our people to have wisdom because I am involved.

“There’s is no inhumanity meted to Landmark, that matters should be buried because I was there. And so we fought everything possible. Even some people donated property to save his two big infrastructures. That’s appreciation. But some people have taken sides along with him to play politics.

The Federal Government said on Tuesday that it was prepared to give a completely legal operating licence to the 650,000 barrels per day capacity Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

This was declared at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum on Midstream and Petroleum Host Community Development Trust Regulations in Abuja.

The federal government’s NMDPRA, however, clarified that although it had given the $20 billion refinery a pre-commissioning permit, the Dangote refinery would shortly receive a fully operational licence.

The Dangote refinery was opened by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023. In April of this year, the plant began supplying automotive petrol oil, sometimes known as diesel, to the local market. It has yet to release Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.

Speaking at the forum in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, told industry players and other stakeholders that the authority would issue a fully valid operating licence to the refinery very soon.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, pointed out that currently, only three refineries have valid licences.

“We have issued three refineries with three valid licences. We awarded Dangote refinery even in their pre-commissioning and sooner than later they will have full commission and a valid licence to also operate,” he stated.

He also stated that about 15 gas facilities across the country have valid licences, while more are undergoing processing.

The NMDPRA boss said there are 1,199 facilities with valid licences in the downstream, while more than 176 operators hold gas import permits.

Ahmed said 130 depots have valid licences, while 69 hold valid coastal vessel licences, adding that NMDPRA has licenced 9,464 retail outlets as of 10 am on April 30, 2024.

“In the gas processing facility within the midstream, there are about 15 of them with valid licences. And much is under processing.  If you go to the downstream sector, in the gas state of the downstream, more than 1,199 facilities have NMDPRA valid licences.

“More than 176 operators hold gas import permits. On the liquid licencing side of the downstream, there are 130 depots with valid licences and coastal vessels with more than 69 valid licences as of today. And in the retail outlets, we have 9,464 licenced retail outlets as of 10 am today, April 30,” Ahmed stated.

He explained why locations in the midstream and downstream arms of the oil sector were included as part of host communities, stating that emissions and effluence affect them.

Ahmed said the authority organised the forum for stakeholders to ventilate their ideas and propose measures that would further enable the NMDPRA to relate better with host communities in the mid- and downstream arms of the oil sector.