The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (taskforce) on Sunday, said it demolished two illegal mechanic villages.

Its chairman, Shola Jejeloye, confirmed the demolition on Sunday in a statement issued by the taskforce’s spokesman, Abdulraheem Gbadeyan.

The mechanic villages were sited opposite Area E Police Station, Festac Town, and under high tension electricity towers at Maroko Area.

Mr Jejeloye said that the mechanic villages were cleared to safeguard the lives of citizens and to beautify the state.

“Countless warnings were served on the operators of the illegal mechanic villages which were sometimes used as hideouts by criminals,’’ he added.

Mr Jejeloye assured the people of the state that shanties and illegally occupied land in the state would no longer be left to serve as criminal hideouts.

“Serious discussions have been initiated with relevant government agencies to ensure allocation of large expanse of land as mechanic villages, particularly around the Ibeju-Lekki axis.

“This is to discourage haphazard and illegal development of mechanic villages in the state,’’ he said.

The agency also arrested a motorcyclist, Peter Iorsashe, for assaulting one of its officials who accosted him for breaking traffic laws on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

(NAN)