The Lagos State Government on Thursday began demolishing illegal and unsafe structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo as part of its ongoing push to restore order and enforce physical planning laws.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the development in a post on X, saying the exercise focused on unapproved constructions, defective buildings, and structures erected on road setbacks and drainage channels.
He stressed that the state could no longer allow illegal developments to block critical infrastructure or put lives at risk.
The demolition was executed by a joint task force made up of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority. Security agencies and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly were also on ground to monitor and provide support.
Bulldozers were deployed to pull down marked structures, while anxious traders and shop owners watched, concerned about the impact on their businesses.
Sanwo-Olu’s administration has consistently warned residents against putting up buildings without approval or encroaching on drainage channels, warning that such actions worsen flooding, gridlock, and urban disorganization.
The demolition follows the recent expiration of a state-backed amnesty program that gave owners of irregular structures the opportunity to regularize them without penalty. With the deadline over, LASBCA has intensified removals in several parts of Lagos, targeting illegal constructions that obstruct roads, drainage systems, or pose safety risks.
Previous demolitions have drawn backlash from displaced residents, many of whom alleged inadequate notice before losing their homes or businesses.
