The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, countered accusations that the ongoing demolitions led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu specifically target people from the South-East.
Addressing the speculations on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, he stated that ownership of buildings in Lagos is open to all adhering to regulations, dismissing any intentional targeting.
According to Olumide, the razed buildings lacked approvals from state agencies and were hastily constructed during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
“Anybody can own building in Lagos so long as you go along with the laid-down rules”, he noted. It’s unfortunate that maybe what we have of recent happens to concern those from certain parts of the country”
He further stated that: 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 owners of demolished structures to present their approvals, stressing that legally sanctioned buildings will not be demolished
