The Lagos State Government has defended the demolition of shanties and illegal structures in Oworonshoki, stressing that due process was strictly followed.
Permanent Secretary of the Office of Urban and Regional Planning, Gbolahan Oki, told journalists that affected landlords ignored several notices, grace periods, and an amnesty programme designed to help them obtain planning permits.
He explained that the amnesty began in May 2024 with a 90-day window and was extended twice, first to October and then December 2024.
Only two or three landlords complied, and their properties were spared, while others disregarded warnings.
According to Oki, officials from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), along with traditional and community leaders, held several sensitisation meetings with residents before demolitions commenced.
He said most of the affected buildings were distressed, blocking drainage channels, tilting dangerously, or patched with paint despite cracks, thereby posing safety and security risks.
“The government cannot allow people to live in houses unfit for habitation. We are insisting that every property in Lagos must have a certificate of fitness for habitation,” he said.
He added that obtaining planning permits now takes 10–15 days, as the process has been decentralised.
A video showing marked buildings and community engagements was also presented to back the government’s claims.
Oki said the demolitions were necessary to safeguard lives, improve drainage, and enhance security in the area, while also reassuring developers and investors that planning approvals would be issued within 10 days to ease business operations in the state.
Commissioner for Physical Planning, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, re-echoed the government’s stance during the “State of the Environment” briefing, stating that requirements for planning approval remain simple and transparent, including architectural and structural drawings, technical reports, soil tests where necessary, and evidence of tax payment.