In a move to prioritize public safety, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, spearheaded a demolition operation on Saturday in Lagos State , targeting buildings whose occupants had received eviction notices but failed to vacate.
Olumide emphasized the government’s commitment to protecting lives, citing structural integrity failures in most of the affected buildings.
“The primary responsibility of government is to protect lives, so we cannot wait and allow the buildings to collapse and kill people,” he declared.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, as highlighted by Olumide, is unwavering in its dedication to safeguarding the lives of all residents, irrespective of their tribal or religious affiliations.
Expressing concern over occupants who disregarded evacuation notices, Olumide underscored the paramount importance of prioritizing life over property.
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He urged owners of distressed buildings to proactively demolish unsafe structures, cautioning that the government would confiscate any land where such structures were removed.
Arc. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), supported the demolition initiative, emphasizing the necessity of addressing the danger posed by distressed structures to both adjoining buildings and residents’ lives.
“We cannot fold our arms and allow irregularities to continue to thrive in this area, where lives of innocent people would be at risk because of the lackadaisical attitude of a few individuals who have refused to do the right thing,” Oki asserted.
Oki further urged Lagosians to collaborate with the government by reporting distressed buildings and other physical planning infractions within their neighborhoods, fostering a collective effort to ensure public safety.