In fulfilment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s determination to rid the State of illegal mining operations and encroachment on Government Schemes, the Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mr. Bode Agoro, has warned all illegal sand miners and encroachers to stay off government schemes as it would no longer tolerate any illegal activities.

Speaking during joint site supervision of some Government Schemes in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, as well as Fairmont Private Developers Estate, to assess the situation and ongoing development, Agoro said the present administration would not relent in its efforts to ensure that monitoring is carried out on a regular basis.

He stressed that the Lagos State government had done a lot in the area of sensitisation on the need for proper verification before any purchase of land from speculators, popularly known as “Omo-Onile”, while warning sand miners to desist from illegal mining on government land.

The General Manager, New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), Tpl. Olakunle Aboyeji, condemned the actions of illegal miners in the area, saying “their unscrupulous act was inimical and detrimental to the State development plan and, if not stopped, could lead to flooding of the schemes’ landmass with water from the Atlantic Ocean”.

Aboyeji declared that illegal miners arrested during the visit to the government scheme would be charged to court and properly dealt with, in line with the stipulated law of the State.

Other members of the inspection team were the representative of the Permanent Secretary/Surveyor-General, Surv. Olutomi Sangowanwa and the Executive Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mrs. Ololade Ajetunmobi among others.