Lagos State Government clarifies demolition of illegal structures & shanties

Lagos State Government on Tuesday clarified its decision to demolish illegal structures and shanties erected along the river banks and under high tension cables across the State, citing security concerns and flagrant abuse of its building regulations as its core reasons.

Addressing journalists at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said that the move was in line with government’s pursuit of its policy on cleaner environment and restoration of master plans through the removal of all environmental infractions and nuisances across the state.

He said over time, the Government had noted with dismay, the flagrant disobedience of building regulations in the State, hence its decision to go ahead with the enforcement of structures in contravention of the Law.

Ayorinde, who was joined at the press briefing by his counterparts in the Ministry of Housing, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Adejare and top officials from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, said the State Government would not go back on its resolve to establish zero tolerance for all structures and properties built under high tension cables.