Remove illegal gates, Sanwo-Olu warns street owners

•Want Admiralty road gate removed

Concerned residents in Lagos have applauded the Lagos State Government's efforts to remove all illegal inner street gates hindering the flow of traffic in Lagos, beginning with Lekki Phase One.

Fielding questions from newsmen, the concerned property owners in Lekki, led by Prince Ayoola Ojeikere, said yesterday that the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration had taken the right step long overdue.

According to Ojeikere, a group of 'powerful individuals' have formed the habit of erecting gates and barricades on various streets for flimsy reasons.

"We are very happy with this latest move by the Lagos State Government to remove all illegal street gates in Lekki.

"We wonder why the state government will build roads and some people will indiscriminately mount gates. I think the government has slept for so long.

"Blockage of Admiralty Road and demand for access codes is another area the government must look into. This should not be allowed to continue.

"We believe this will bring no small relief to not only many Lekki residents but also the generality of the motoring public.

"Admiralty Road gate at Fatayi Arobieke Street should be removed to allow motorists have access to adjourning streets in the area.

"We must not allow some people to continue taking laws into their hands for selfish interests, thereby making life difficult for others."

It would be recalled that the Lagos State government on Saturday began the removal of illegal street gates permanently closed to traffic around the Lekki Phase One area of the state.

The government had issued an ultimatum to gate street owners in the Lekki area to open them for traffic or face the consequences.

The Lagos Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said on his X handle on Saturday that the removal of the illegal gates followed several days of traffic snarls that residents connecting Lekki were experiencing.

He said that this was due to the inability to access connecting roads due to the indiscriminate mounting and multiplicity of the gates in many parts of the state, defacing the aesthetics of the environment and causing unnecessary traffic on the major roads.