Dare Babalola
Despite the outcry that followed the first phase of the demolition of illegal and unapproved buildings within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, the Lagos State Government has insisted that it will not back down from the exercise.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, on Thursday, such developments pose serious risks to public safety.
Recall that the state government had recently demolished illegal structures in different parts of the state, including around the trade fair complex.
The demolition sparked diverse reactions with some top Nigerians and aggrieved residents claiming that the demolition targets a particular ethnic group.
However, the commissioner shut down the narrative, noting that the enforcement was backed by the Supreme Court judgment of 2003, which empowers states to control physical developments within their territories, except in areas under exclusive federal use.
He also said that the state government’s stance was in line with its mandate to ensure a safe, orderly and sustainable physical environment, as provided by the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act of 1992 and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of 2019.
The commissioner, therefore, gave all developers and occupants within the trade fair complex a two-week deadline to regularise their building approvals with the ministry.
According to him, the exercise at the trade fair complex is not about land ownership or title but about ensuring that all buildings have valid planning permits.
He cautioned some political actors, especially those from the south-east, against misrepresenting facts and using ethnic sentiments to discredit the government’s enforcement efforts.
The commissioner stressed that the ongoing action was not targeted at any group but part of a wider exercise to maintain order and public safety across Lagos.
Olumide listed places where illegal structures had also been removed, including Pelewura Market, Bombata Market, LSDPC Ilasan Estate, Otumara in Ebute Metta, Alaba Rago, and Oluwole Market.
According to him, these areas are largely occupied by different ethnic groups.
He noted that other states such as Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo had also carried out similar demolitions to enforce urban renewal and flood control measures without ethnic bias.
”It is therefore wrong for anyone to attach ethnic meaning to the enforcement in Lagos. The actions of the state government are always guided by law,” he said.
He urged all residents and stakeholders to support the government’s efforts to achieve a safe, well-planned and sustainable city for everyone.
