Kogi state government, on Wednesday, resumed eviction and demolition of non-allocated business spaces in Lokoja, the state capital.
The State Environmental Special Enforcement Unit of the Ministry of Environment brought down illegal structures along Post Office area on Murtala Mohammed road in Lokoja.
Commissioner of Environment, Chief Victor Omofaiye, who lead the team for the exercise, noted that the move was aimed at bringing sanity to the environmental outlook of Lokoja metropolis.
He noted that all shops along the fence of the New market have been removed, pointing out that the move was for the safety of the people by eradicating illegal markets and shanties in Lokoja.
According to him, the illegal markets and shanties pose security and environmental threats to the people, saying government will not rest until the right thing is done.
The Commissioner explained that the exercise was not to cause hardship for the people but to ensure that the right thing is done.
“Illegal business operators like cloth sellers, food/fruits vendors and others were served a seven-day ‘Removal Notice’ by the state government to remove their property and vacate the entire street, the notice expired last week,” he explained
Coordinator Kogi State Town Planning and Development One-Stop-Shop, Mr. Sani Daniel confirmed that the vendors were duly notified but refused to remove their shops.
