Lagos arraigns owner of collapsed building

Lagos State government has arraigned the owner of a three-storey building, along Adesegun Okunuga Street, in Ikate-Elegushi, Eti-Osa, at the Special Offences Court, Bolade, Oshodi, Lagos.

The owner of the property, Kenneth Okenini, was arraigned for various offences, including disobedience of an order by the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, by the law.

The arraignment followed an earlier warning issued by the State Government to owners and developers of property contravening the state’s building codes.

Okenini, allegedly flouted provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of Lagos State by engaging non-professionals for construction and ignoring all warnings to desist from violating the law.

It is gathered that the three-floor structure, which collapsed on May. 13, 2023, resulted from the refusal of Okenini to obey the Stop Work Order earlier issued by LASBCA on May 8, 2023, when the property was also sealed.

LABCA General Manager, Gbolahan Oki, stated that the government seal on the building was also broken, and construction work continued in defiance of the law.

Oki, in a statement by Assistant Director, Public Affairs of LASBCA, Adetayo Akitoye-Asagba, said: “LABCA will continue to identify and prosecute property owners and developers who confront the government and its officials to serve as a deterrent to others.”