The Lagos State Government on Thursday commenced the demolition of illegal and unsafe structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, as part of its efforts to restore order and enforce physical planning regulations across the state.
Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the development in a statement on X, noting that the operation specifically targeted buildings without statutory approvals, defective structures, and constructions erected on road setbacks and drainage channels.
According to him, the government could no longer ignore unlawful developments that obstruct critical infrastructure and pose risks to public safety.
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“The Lagos State Government has begun removal of illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals and defective structures, and structures built on road setback and drainages in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Local Government Area,” Gawat stated.
The enforcement exercise was jointly carried out by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority.
Also present at the scene were officials from the Office of Infrastructure, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and security personnel who provided operational support throughout the exercise.
Bulldozers were deployed to pull down marked structures, while several traders and shop owners looked on anxiously, worried about the impact on their businesses.
The administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu has repeatedly warned residents and developers against erecting buildings without proper approvals or blocking drainage systems, stressing that such violations contribute to flooding, traffic congestion, and widespread urban disorder in Lagos.
The removal of these structures forms part of the state’s broader urban renewal strategy aimed at safeguarding lives, protecting infrastructure, and addressing the challenges of congestion in Africa’s largest megacity.
However, similar enforcement operations in the past have triggered public backlash. In Oworonshoki, for instance, several residents alleged they were not given sufficient notice to relocate or salvage their belongings before demolitions began.
The state government had previously introduced an amnesty programme, which gave owners of unapproved or irregular buildings the opportunity to regularise their properties without penalty. That window, which had been extended multiple times, recently closed.
Since its expiration, LASBCA has intensified enforcement across various parts of Lagos, targeting illegal constructions that obstruct drainage systems, encroach on road setbacks, or fail to meet safety standards.
