The Anambra Physical Planning Board, on Friday, embarked on the demolition of illegal structures and shanties in the state.
Chike Maduekwe, the managing director of the board, who spoke to journalists on Friday, said the structures pose environmental and security threats to the people.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that structures demolished included shanties around the perimeter fence of public buildings in Nkisi and an ongoing building on a canal in Enekwasumpu, Omogba area of Onitsha.
Mr Maduekwe said the three-month notice given to developers to provide proof of building approval had elapsed, and enforcement had commenced.
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He said Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo had directed the board to ensure full compliance with physical planning and control, adding that the administration was a government of law and order.
He said the exercise would be total and continuous as the government would not want to put the lives of people at risk, no matter how highly placed the offenders were.
“Operation Show Your Building Permit’s grace has expired, and we have started visiting those we feel are recalcitrant.
“We got a report that somebody was building on a canal, and upon inspection, we found that the man had been warned long ago. He came to the board for approval, but we did not grant him, and he went ahead.
“This site poses a security challenge because the report we have says girls are raped here at night, and criminals operate here at night.
“He also uses private security to beat up passers-by and seize their cell phones.
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“We will monitor this place; we will invite the developer to come and explain other things we saw that we cannot talk about openly.
“We want to warn everybody, including government officials, that they must obtain approval before building, and if proof of approval is not provided, the structure will be brought down,” he said.
