ω The world of under-bridge dwellers

By Vera Wisdom-Bassey

Usman, who fled Maiduguri, after Boko-Haram attack in which he lost his wife, now lives in Lagos, where he finds refuge under the Alaba-Suru bridge in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government area.

The squalid, space under the flyover may not offer the warmth, or security of a regular house, but it serves as a base for him and other squatters consisting of motor park touts, delinquent youths and young girls who set out to do whatever menial work they could find in the day time and return at night to lay their heads.

Flyovers as hub

Many of the dwellers under the bridge have no specific jobs, but disperse during the day break to find any job. These could be as porters in the cluster of markets in the highly commercial area, while some join commercial buses as conductors. Yet, others simply hawk wares, while some of the girls serve as helps to food vendors in local eateries called ‘Bukas’ or canteens.

Most of them have resigned to fate, having nowhere else to go. The squatters from the northern part of the country ride commercial motorcycles (popularly known as Okada).

This is the picture at the bases of virtually all the bridges in the metropolis.

Being the nation’s former capital, Lagos appears to be the only city, after Abuja, with so many Federal Government constructed overhead bridges. Though, the idea behind the construction of overhead bridges in the city was to reduce traffic chaos, it is also serving as housing for the numerous dwellers, especially, the poor, the vagrants and internally displaced people.

Apart from serving as shelter, however, the under bridges are also fun spots as well as hideouts for hoodlums who smoke hemp, drink liquor and deal in hard drugs.

Fun in squalour

Idlers gather here to gamble. One of the popular games is the lotto (popularly known as Baba Ijebu). The environment of many of the food vendors who provide the squatters with their daily meals is deplorable. Flies and mosquitoes of various sizes buzz recklessly. Yet, the squatters do not appear bothered about the insects that perch on their food.

“There’s really no harm. If anybody gets sick, he was actually bound to be sick, not because of this place,” a water vendor who simply identifies himself as Babayeru said,  laughing at the dismay expressed by the reporter at the unhygienic condition of the area.

The situation is not different at Mile two bridge, where commuters and pedestrians coming from the Lagos Island end are treated to unpleasant spectacles of various people flirting, defecating, or taking their bath in the open. Saturday Sun witnessed a man taking his bath in the open while others watch when the reporter visited the area. 

While members of the community look out for themselves, petty quarrels and fights, which sometime turn violent, often break out over money, allegations of theft,  fight for love and sex, or contest for sleeping space.

But the motley crowd of ruffians and the mean life they live can be scary to a visitor.

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King of the jungle

However, Usman, who commands some authority in the environment, says they are no threat to anyone. He told Saturday Sun reporter, who expressed fear of likely attack by some of the ugly looking boys seen gambling and smoking marijuana, during a visit recently, that they were simply catching fun.

He says the boys hardly maltreat anyone perceived as poor as they, save for those who live a false life and show off.

No tribe in poverty

Some of these under bridge communities harbour people from the various ethnic groups  in the country including the North, the East, South West and even minority communities in the South South. This is particularly true of squatters at Ijora-Badiya Bridge beside the Nigerian Breweries, where you find Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba cohabiting.

“I can tell you that life is fun-filled in this area. This is no man’s land. Though we may not be living in rented apartments or duplexes, or the big man’s quarters in Lagos, we still thank God that we are alive. We are not begging anyone for food. We don’t pay PHCN bill, we buy our own water, nobody comes here to disturb us, we can come back here at night, whenever we want and sleep even in the day when we wish. There is also no threat from the landlord that he wants to eject you,” says a squatter.

A colleague of his chips in: “As you come like this, you can leave anytime you want. Apart from the fact that people say we live in an open space, I can tell you that life here is better and peaceful. The freedom we enjoy, the rich men are not enjoying it. Even though they live in duplexes, we are far better than them. I’m sure some of them will be envious of us, because of what we are enjoying.”

Apparently, the fact that they live there rent-free has not encouraged the squatters to go look for decent accommodation.

Price for squatting

Becoming part of the community, however, is not entirely free, as older squatters demand rent for sleeping space before a newcomer is admitted.  “Foreigner”, a veteran under  the Costain bridge, told Saturday Sun the process of joining requires a newcomer to have identified a space either for sleeping or trading. He is then requested to pay N10,000 for one year and a daily fee of N100 after two weeks of the initial payment for a space at the precincts of the bridge.

Constructing stalls or kiosks to trade in such spaces attracts additional N30,000 per year, he says.

Public complaints

However, complaints are rife from members of the public, especially motorists that the under bridges have become abode for robbers and muggers who launch attacks on hapless citizens plying the routes, especially at odd hours.

Many Lagosians cry that they were attacked in their vehicles, even in traffic by these hoodlums, who emerge from the precincts of the bridges to dispossess them of their money and valuables, sometime even injuring them and damaging their vehicles. Hot spots  for these incidents include Ketu, Mile 2, Orile by Doyin Bus stop, Agboju and Lagos Island. The attacks are usually carried out in traffic. Many commuters plying Agboju-Mile 2 route complain that they have lost valuables to hoodlums who rob passengers that disembark at the bus stop. A resident of the area recalls: “I witnessed one, night when I was going home. A guy brought out a gun, placed it in front of the driver of a vehicle I boarded home, I almost froze where I was, but I summoned courage and started praying that they would not attack our bus, the two guys robbed the man of his bag. After breaking his glass window he took away his phones, and left.”

“During the day, they hawk their wares and at night they attack vehicles coming down from mainland mostly when there is heavy traffic,” a motorist said. Happenings like these have led to calls on the government to rid the areas of these miscreants.