The Lagos State Government has dismissed claims of ethnic bias in the recent demolition at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, describing the operation as a technical enforcement of planning laws.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olumide Oluyinka, made the clarification saying the action was part of a wider regulatory effort across the state.
“This has nothing to do with ethnicity,” Oluyinka said. “We’ve carried out similar operations in areas like Owode Onirin, Idumota, and Ikeja. It’s purely about compliance with urban planning laws.”
He criticized the Trade Fair Complex management for leasing land to private developers without proper approval. Some of the buildings, he noted, were dangerously close to public roads and lacked professional design oversight.
Oluyinka said affected occupants were given ample notice, including visits as far back as March 2024. He also alleged that government officers attempting to serve notices were detained and harassed.
“It’s false to claim there was no warning,” he added. “We engaged the management multiple times and were even met with resistance.”
Describing the complex’s current state as unacceptable, the commissioner said the intervention was necessary. “Refuse, drainage, sewage everything is in disrepair. We’re acting in the public interest.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing planning laws fairly across all communities, regardless of ethnicity.
Source: Channels Tv
