THE Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (task force) said it would arraign 30 persons arrested on Wednesday for rebuilding kiosks and shanties at the Marwa ghetto in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.

The 30 persons were arrested by a team led by the task force Chairman, Shola Jejeloye, during an inspection tour of the Lagos-Epe Expressway.

A statement by the task force’s Head, Public Affairs, Femi Moliki, said the suspects rebuilt shanties removed by the agency on the road, adding that they were taken aback when officers of the agency besieged the ghetto on Wednesday morning.

“CSP Jejeloye, who expressed shock at the level of shanties in the area, stated that the government would arraign the illegal occupants to serve as a deterrent to others,” the statement added.

The agency was said to have also impounded 57 motorcycles from riders plying prohibited routes in the Costain, CMS and Lekki areas.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command says no fewer than 28 suspected criminals have been arrested for allegedly terrorising members of the public.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement on Wednesday, said the suspects were arrested following a directive from the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, to dislodge criminals hibernating in various shanties in the state.

He stated that the shanties were destroyed after the raid, adding that the arrested suspects were being interrogated.

Ajisebutu said, “Determined to rid Lagos State of miscreants and other criminal elements, the state police command in a well-coordinated, intelligence-led and purposeful operation, carried out a raid on notorious black spots at the canal axis in the Ago-Okota area of the state around 8pm on Tuesday.

“The operation, led by the operations department of the command, is in line with the earlier directive of the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, that all hoodlums hibernating in shanties as cover before carrying out their clandestine and nefarious acts should be completely dislodged in every part of the state.”