The Lagos State Government on Saturday insisted that it would not be selective in the application of the law in the ongoing demolition of illegal structures at Lekki Phase II and its environs.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who made this clarification on Saturday in Lagos, said that the state government was committed to ensuring that justice and fairness were served to all equally.
Wahab, who was besieged by pleading occupants and owners of the fully built structures constructed on the drainage setbacks and already marked for demolition, said stopping the demolition exercise would amount to double standards.
The commissioner added that the demolished blocks of duplexes were on the same drainage setback alignment as the ones yet to be removed.
He said that the state was irrevocably committed to reclaiming its drainage setback and restoring its master plan.
Wahab explained that it was sad that the government had to make a very difficult decision to pull down the fully built-up structures to reclaim the drainage setback for the free flow of stormwater in the area.
He said that the owners of the structures demolished in Ikota were aware that they contravened the law.
The commissioner said that the owners had different engagements with the ministry from 2020 when most of the structures were at foundation levels and several notices served.
“At Ikota, the level of encroachments is just unimaginable; people have built on the canal path and we resolved that these nuisances cannot be allowed to continue; it just had to stop,” he said.
He said that he had visited the Ikota site once again and personally met the owners of the structures yet to go down.
Wahab said that he advised them to vacate the buildings before the demolition exercise moved to their end because no amount of entreaties would stop the exercise.
“We have gone round and we concluded that all houses on the canal path and on those on the canal itself must be removed and the path recreated to discharge into Ikota River,” he said.
The commissioner also visited Victoria Garden City (VGC) in Lekki, where some homeowners extended their approved plots beyond the five metres buffer Zone of VGC.
He added that the extension would be pulled down to allow water to flow freely into the lagoon.
“We cannot be brazen in our illegality and be brazen in our nonchalant attitude to the environment; it has to end; illegality cannot beget legality,” he said.
He said that the government had hitherto toed the line of advocacy but the people had refused to change, hence, enforcement actions had to be taken to make corrections where necessary.
Wahab advised homeowners to seek and obtain drainage approval alongside other approvals before embarking on their building projects to avert such a situation.
“This enforcement will be a continuous exercise; people cannot blame government for what they caused by their actions; whatever negative thing you do to the environment will come to haunt you eventually,” he said.
Demolition: Lagos Govt insists on non-selective application of law