Lagos govt demolishes illegal structures at Trade Fair Complex

The Lagos State Government initiated the demolition of unauthorised and unsafe buildings at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo on Thursday.

The operation was a collaborative effort involving several state agencies, including the Ministry of Physical Planning, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency.

Jubril Gawat, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, confirmed the exercise on social media, stating that the action was taken to enforce physical planning laws and restore order.

The targeted structures included those built without necessary permits, defective buildings, and those illegally constructed on road setbacks and drainage channels.

The operation, which was backed by a team of security agencies, also included representatives from the Office of Infrastructure and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

This demolition exercise follows an order issued last week by the state government to immediately suspend all reclamation projects across the state due to significant environmental risks.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, expressed concern over the widespread reclamation activities on wetlands, floodplains, and lagoons.

The affected areas listed by the commissioner include “Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne, Ikoyi, Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Oworonshoki, and parts of Ikorodu.”

Wahab noted that many of these projects were proceeding without the required Environmental Impact Assessment approvals and drainage clearance from his ministry.

He warned that while land reclamation can be beneficial, unmanaged projects pose serious risks, including flooding, erosion, and damage to the ecosystem.

“Lagos’s low-lying topography and fragile ecosystem cannot withstand indiscriminate reclamation activities without grave consequences,” Wahab stated.