Following the burning of Shanties and makeshift shops along the Iju-Agege last weekend by Lagos state task force, no fewer than 4 passengers were injured and 1 hospitalised as Squatters stoned 2 mass transit trains on a return journey on Monday evening from Iddo Ijoko and Kajola.
According to eyewitness accounts, the innocent passengers who were on transit from their various places of work suddenly saw some affected squatters throwing stones at the coaches and passengers leaving the glass of some doors and windows of the coaches shattered.
The perpetrators claimed that the burning exercise took them unaware without any prior notification from the Lagos state task force.
It was gathered that the operation started in the early morning of Saturday last weekend with task force men and women stationed at strategic locations before setting the illegal structures ablaze after a subtle resistance from the squatters
The railway district manager, Engr. Augustine Arase, in his remarks, said, the corporation appreciated Lagos state government through Lagos state task force for dislodging shanties harbouring questionable characters along the railway tracks.
He however suggested that there should be synergy with similar task force set up by Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for similar purpose. adding that, the burning of illegal structures adopted by the state government could affect the structure of the concrete sleepers used in holding the tracks to the ground.
Accordingly to him, “the burning of shanties approach is not the best as concrete used to hold the tracks grumbles under intense fire.”
Arase noted that the Nigerian Railway Police commissioner and his Lagos counterpart in working in tandem to ensure this unruly act of stoning passengers is stopped. We cherish the safety of our passengers and will not tolerate a situation whereby there lives will be at risk, hence, security men will be deployed to ensure safety of passengers,” Arase said.
