Lagos Govt Issues 7-Day Ultimatum To Illegal Building Owners In Lekki

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab has given owners of buildings on Orchid Road, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa along the Ikota River a seven-day contravention notice.

This announcement follows an inspection tour of the Ikota River corridor, where Wahab, alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, assessed compliance with the approved seven-meter setback on both sides of the channel.

The Commissioner of Lagos emphasised adherence to the State Drainage Master Plan to prevent property demolition and cited the Nigerian Conservation Foundation’s petition regarding distortions on roads.

Lagos
Lagos State Commissioner

Wahab highlighted the impact on the natural habitat of animals and damage to drainage channels designed for stormwater.

According to him, the state government had been humane in its approach to reclaim the drainage right of way hence the review of the setback alignment from the original seven metres to six metres after a meeting with property owners to reduce the number of structures to be affected.

“We cannot keep lampooning the government for flooding when developers, builders & residents are the main cause of flooding.

“We shall continue to enforce because that is why laws are made. Without law and order, there cannot be development, enough of this bad behaviour,” The Lagos State Commissioner stated.

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Wahab and his team visited various locations, including Oral Estate II, Chevron Drive, and Thompson Avenue, where illegal structures were demolished.

The Commissioner issued a stop-work order to Gravitas company for sand filling part of Ikota River, hereby reducing the lagoon size from the original 250 meters designed to accommodate the free flow of water.

“The lagoon is a natural path, people have started reclamation to cover up the path and narrow it; you cannot narrow the path of water, if you do, water will naturally create another path and this is dangerous for everyone,” Wahab said.

Adesina said that Wahab had earlier in the day, supervised the demolition of shanties on Thompson Avenue following petitions by residents that strange faces and ladies of easy virtues were always lining up the streets at night which is a security risk for the whole state and Ikoyi environ especially.

“At 6 a.m. this morning, we came in and what we saw was unimaginable and we had to pull down these illegal structures, evacuate, make some arrests and charge them to court; by tomorrow we will have full possession of the land,” he said.

He urged all squatters to relocate outrightly as the state is determined to rid the state of shanties and all environmental infractions that dot the landscape.

He added, “We will not allow individuals who have no business in the state to become environmental nuisance and security risk.”

He disclosed that the Special Adviser on Environment noted that Lagos despite its peculiarities as a coastal state with low-lying terrains and a high population density among others, has remained afloat because of various measures put in place by the government.

He explained that the state government embarked on a comprehensive all-year-round cleaning and maintenance, dredging of drainage channels/canals and constructing new drainages where and when necessary to find a lasting solution to flooding across the state.

He called for citizens’ active participation in governance and environmental initiatives to ensure a sustainable and improved environment. #Lagos