Following the public outcry that greeted the ongoing demolition exercise in some parts of the State, the Lagos State government has alleged that the demolished buildings in the state were not approved by any of its agencies and that the structures were hurriedly erected during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in the state, Oluyinka Olumide, made this known when he appeared on Channels Television on Wednesday, November 29.
He challenged any of the owners of the demolished structures in the Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, Abule Ado, Ladipo Market and other areas of the state to come forward with their building approvals.
“We will not demolish any approved building, that’s for sure. So, if there is anybody that has claims that their buildings were approved and demolished, let them come forward,” Olumide said.
The official said the structures were never approved of by any of the government agencies vested with such powers, stressing that illegal structures on the drainage system would be pulled down.
“Buildings not done within the confines of the law are subject to demolition” Olumide noted.
The commissioner debunked claims that the demolition was targeted at people from the south east.
“Anybody can own a building in Lagos so long as you go with the laid-down rules. It’s unfortunate that maybe what we have of recent happen to concern those from certain parts of the country. Those buildings causing this uproar are buildings rushed during the COVID period when activities of enforcement officers are at the low ebb because of restriction of movement and you could see that when those buildings were demolished, nobody has come forward to say they are demolished under approval,” he said.
The commissioner assured residents of the state that the government won’t demolish any approval structure.
