Crimes

Lagos govt demolishes illegal building in Banana Island, warns against dredging

The Lagos State Government has demolished an illegal structure constructed on unauthorised reclaimed land to obstruct drainage paths in the Banana Island area of the state.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, who led the exercise on Saturday, October 21, 2023, also ordered the demolition of illegal fences.

Olumide was accompanied by the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, who decried the rate at which property owners and developers disregarded building code, hence, the demolition to compel compliance.

The commissioner warned against illegal reclamation of land in the state, saying individuals did not have the right to reclaim without requisite permission from the ministry charged with that responsibility.

He said land reclamation was an exclusive right of government, which usually carried out required tests through sand filling, adding that the residents should follow the processes for land acquisition to avoid prosecution.

Olumide said the demolished building violated a suspension order issued by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during his assessment visit to the site earlier in the year.

He said it was discovered then that the developer illegally dredged the river to reclaim the land without recourse to any approving authority.

The commissioner warned that indiscriminate dredging activity in the area must stop because it violated Planning Laws and impacts negatively on the state’s ecosystem.

Olumide said: “We need to stop people’s belief that they are above the law, once you have law, everybody is supposed to be controlled by the law which is supposed to guide the society.

“Here, lawless activities are taking place whereby people are on their own deliberately reclaiming land for the purpose of their own developments which is very bad.

“The powerline was even made at the centre of the lagoon; the ceiling is almost reaching the power line which is not safe for human habitation.”

Also speaking, Oki said the construction site had been sealed three times but the developers broke the government seal to continue working.

Oki said the developers did not have building plan approvals and did not have layout approvals.

He advised residents to always carry out the necessary checks and documentation by visiting the district offices across local governments to get the right information.

The LASBCA also enjoined the residents to get the Certificate of Occupancy and building plan approval or regularisation before moving to the site.

The Star