Oworonshoki Demolition: Residents Ignored Multiple Warnings – Lagos Govt

The Lagos State Government has defended its demolition of shanties and unapproved buildings in Oworonshoki, insisting that due process was followed and that residents had ignored repeated warnings.

Mr. Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, said this during a media interaction in Lagos on Thursday evening. He explained that affected structures had been served demolition notices and that residents were given ample time to obtain planning permits under the state’s amnesty programme.

According to him, the amnesty exercise began with a 90-day window from May to July 2024, later extended to October 2024, and finally to December 2024.

“Only two or three persons in that community took advantage of the amnesty, and those buildings were not demolished. Others ignored all warnings,” Oki said.

He added that LASBCA officials, alongside community and traditional leaders, held meetings and sensitisation sessions with the residents prior to the demolitions.

Oki further explained that most of the affected buildings were distressed, blocking drainage channels and posing safety risks.

“The government cannot allow people to live in houses that are not fit for habitation. We are now insisting that every property in Lagos must have a certificate of fitness for habitation,” he stated.

He noted that some of the demolished houses had visible cracks, structural defects, or were merely patched with paint to appear safe.

Oki stressed that the process of obtaining planning permits has now been decentralised across all local government areas and can be completed within 10 to 15 days once the required documents are submitted.

The demolitions, he said, were not carried out secretly. A three-minute video presented during the interaction showed marked buildings and community meetings in Oworonshoki.

He emphasized that the action was necessary to protect lives, improve drainage, and enhance security in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Lagos State Government granted a three-phase amnesty programme between May and December 2024, during which 18,489 applications were submitted and 8,856 planning permits were issued.