The Lagos State Government on Thursday began pulling down illegal and unsafe buildings at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo. Officials say the move is part of a wider push to restore order and enforce physical planning laws.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s aide, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the exercise in a post on X. He explained that the operation targeted buildings without approval, defective structures, and those blocking road setbacks or drainage channels.
“The state can’t sit back while unapproved developments endanger lives and obstruct critical infrastructure,” Gawat said.
The demolition was carried out jointly by the Ministry of Physical Planning, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority. Members of the State House of Assembly, the Office of Infrastructure, and security operatives were also present to provide support.
Bulldozers rolled through the complex, flattening marked buildings, while shop owners and traders looked on with concern over how their businesses would be affected.
Officials stressed that the state has repeatedly warned against putting up structures without permits or blocking drainages practices they say fuel flooding, traffic jams, and urban disorder across Lagos.
This action comes after the recent expiration of a government amnesty programme that allowed owners of unapproved buildings to regularise them without penalty. With that deadline now over, LASBCA has stepped up demolitions in areas where illegal structures are unsafe or obstruct public infrastructure.
Past demolitions have, however, sparked criticism from residents who complained of losing homes or businesses without enough notice. In Oworonshoki, for instance, many said they were not given sufficient time to move or protect their belongings before bulldozers arrived.
The government insists the enforcement drive is necessary to safeguard lives and improve order in an already congested city.
