The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has defended the demolition of shanties and unapproved buildings in Oworonshoki, saying the action followed due process and years of ignored warnings by the residents.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, told reporters on Tuesday that the affected residents were served notices and given ample opportunity to regularise their buildings.
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He said the government launched an amnesty programme in May 2024 with a 90-day window for owners of unapproved buildings to obtain planning permits. The programme was extended twice and ended in December 2024.
“Only two or three persons in that community took advantage of the amnesty, and their buildings were spared. Others ignored all warnings,” Mr Oki said.
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He explained that officials, in partnership with traditional and community leaders, held sensitisation meetings before the demolition.
Many of the demolished structures, he said, were distressed, blocking drainage and posing security threats.
“Some of the buildings tilted backwards, had visible cracks or were merely patched with paint. 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 added.
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The official noted that planning permits now take between 10 and 15 days once documents are complete and that permit offices have been decentralised across all local governments.
He also presented a video showing marked buildings and meetings with residents before the exercise.
Mr Oki said the demolition was necessary to protect lives, improve drainage and enhance security in the community. Data from the ministry shows that during the amnesty period, 18,489 applications were submitted and 8,856 planning permits were issued.
Third Mainland Bridge
On Monday, Oworonshoki residents blocked part of the Third Mainland Bridge to protest the demolition of their buildings along the coastal line.
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The demonstrators, including women and children, demanded compensation and resettlement. The protest caused heavy gridlock, with motorists stranded for hours.
Some residents accused the government of arriving at night with bulldozers and security operatives, leaving families homeless without alternatives. Community leaders also argued that some of the affected structures had stood for decades without challenge.
The Lagos State traffic agency said the gridlock began to ease by 4:40 p.m. Police later confirmed that calm had been restored after Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh personally intervened.
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