The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Taskforce) has dismissed a viral video circulating online that accused its officers of unjustly arresting residents during a demolition exercise at 6th Avenue, Ifanyi Close, Festac Town.
In the video, a woman who identified herself as “Oneway” claimed that her husband and others were wrongly detained by Taskforce officials while the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) carried out the demolition.
However, the Agency, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, described the woman’s allegations as false and misleading.
It clarified that those arrested were apprehended for attacking Taskforce officials with stones and other dangerous objects in an attempt to obstruct the lawful exercise.
“According to verified reports, the woman’s husband allegedly led the assault after attempts to bribe the demolition team to halt the operation failed.”
The suspects were said to have mobilised others to resist the exercise violently, using stones, iron rods, and other objects against of ficers deployed to provide security and maintain order.
The Taskforce stated that normalcy was swiftly restored after the intervention of security operatives on the ground.