The Lagos State Government has clarified that buildings demolished in the state lacked approval from any of its agencies and were hastily constructed during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in the state, Oluyinka Olumide, revealed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Wednesday.
He challenged owners of the demolished structures in areas such as Ikota, Lekki, Alaba, Ajao Estate, Abule Ado, Ladipo Market, and other parts of the state to present their building approvals.
“We will not demolished 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 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.
On claims in certain quarters that the state government has been targeting homeowners who are from the South-East geopolitical zone, the commissioner said those were not true.
He said, “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 recently 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.”
The commissioner reassured residents of the state that the government would not demolish any structures with proper approvals.