Lagos demolition not targeted at Igbos — Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide has dismissed the public opinion that the ongoing demolition is targetted at South-Easterners.

He noted that the buildings that are been demolished were constructed during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and without the approval of any of its agencies.

He made this known in a chat on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Wednesday, November 29.

When the anchor asked him whether the demolitions were targeted at South Easterners as being speculated, he said, “Anybody can own building in Lagos so long as you go along with the laid-down rules. It’s unfortunate that maybe what we have of recent happens to concern those from certain parts of the country.

“Those buildings causing this uproar are buildings rushed during the COVID period when activities of enforcement officers are at the low ebb because of restriction of movement and you could see that when those buildings were demolished, nobody has come forward to say they were demolished under approval.”

Olumide challenged any of the owners of the demolished structures to come forward with their building approvals.

“We will not demolish any approved building, that’s for sure. So, if there is anybody that has claims that their buildings were approved and demolished, let them come forward,” Olumide said.

He stressed that illegal structures on the drainage system would be pulled down.

“Buildings not done within the confines of the law are subject to demolition,” Olumide noted.

NBA