The recent demolition of dilapidated buildings in Alaba International Market in Ojo Local Council, according to the Lagos State Government, was neither a witch hunt nor done with the intention of acquiring the land.
The Lagos government claimed that the demolition was done to save lives.
This was stated on Saturday during an on-site evaluation of the demolition site by Mr. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency.
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Along with Mr. Kehinde Osinaike, his counterpart in the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, and the seven-member committee established by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the wake of the demolition exercise, Oki visited the market in the midst of a downpour.
They were led on the trip by Mr Oluwole Sotire, Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
The South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Mr Hope Uzodimma, met with Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to put to rest allegations of tribal bias in the demolition exercise.
During the spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.
According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, adding that necessary documentation needed by the state government was also ignored.
“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.
“I have seen people painting buildings that are dilapidated. That is not good. It is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.
Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else the government would move in to take action.
“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.
Oki explained why distressed buildings were being demolished
He said this was because of issues of land grabbers selling one land to several people as well as the need to correct haphazard development.
