The Lagos State Government has cautioned property buyers to verify land documents before making purchases, following the demolition of 17 illegal buildings along the Lekki–Epe corridor.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this during a joint inspection with the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, and other top officials on Saturday.
Wahab said the enforcement drive aimed to protect wetlands, restore natural drainage, and secure the right of way for the forthcoming Green Line Rail Project.
“Our findings revealed that several automobile dealers, who were previously granted temporary approval to operate on designated sites, have brazenly exceeded their allocated boundaries. Not only have they encroached upon wetlands, but some have also erected permanent structures directly under power lines. This is a clear violation of their permits and a direct assault on our master plan,” Wahab said in a post on X.
He warned that the destruction of wetlands would worsen flooding, stressing that “Wetlands are not wastelands. They are nature’s sponge, designed to hold excess water during heavy rains.”
The commissioner added that the state, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation, had begun clearing illegal developments and relocating affected car dealers to approved areas.
“The Green Line is a legacy project that will commence soon, and we will not allow the selfish interests of a few to compromise the mobility and environmental safety of millions of Lagosians,” he said.
Wahab also ordered the sealing of illegal reclamation works at the Ikota River, where developers allegedly narrowed the river channel for real estate construction.
“It is heart-wrenching that individuals would deliberately destroy a critical river ecosystem for illicit real estate ventures,” he said. “Members of the public are hereby advised to always do their due diligence and ensure all documents are verified before buying properties.”
He confirmed that 17 contravening structures at the Ikota River in Oral Estate Extension had been removed and vowed continued enforcement until the river’s right of way is restored.
