The Divisional Police Officer for Victoria Island in Lagos announced on Wednesday that the force will be shutting down Kuramo beach in order to dredge out squatters and hoodlums that have made a home of it.

In a statement the officer said the beach will be closed for a week, while “a team of security agents will continue to raid the beach to get rid of criminals”.

A beach clean up crew comprised of police officers, military, immigration and agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency already conducted a sweep of Kuramo last week and reportedly arrested miscreants loitering on the sands.

According to the statement the police will work alongside beach management and officials of the local government where the beach is located to clear the beach of squatters.

“We are raiding all the cabins on the beach. Anyone who wants to work in the cabins must be known by the security agents.

“After the exercise, anyone coming to Kuramo beach must feel safe. We do not want criminals to use the beach as a hideout any longer.”

Beach management said the clean up raid will help bring the beach up to international standards again. They hope to clear the beach of traders who have set up tents that distort the layout of the beach and clean up cabins constructed in 1999 that have since been defaced