The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its mandate to enforce physical planning laws within its jurisdiction, including the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said that the government’s position was backed by the Supreme Court judgment of 2003 and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019, as amended, which empower the state to regulate and enforce Physical Planning Laws.
The Commissioner stated that the location of the Trade Fair Complex on Federal Government land did not exempt developers from obtaining necessary planning permits from the Lagos State Government or adhering to the State physical planning laws.
“We have acted decisively to halt further development of unapproved and unsafe buildings in the Complex as a livable, organised, orderly and sustainable built environment is crucial to achieving our T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda,” he said.
He reiterated that the Trade Fair Complex had a history of non-compliance with building regulations and had refused to cooperate with the efforts to bring it into voluntary compliance despite several warnings, including the request in November 2023 for building constructions within the area to be regularised with the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
This enforcement exercise is part of the state government’s regular efforts to promote safety, livability, and well-being across the State, and not just within the Trade Fair Complex.
The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, commenced the demolition of illegal and defective structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, in order to restore order and enforce its physical planning laws.
It was gathered that about 19 buildings were pulled down at the New Mandela Plaza, within the popular Trade Fair Complex in Lagos.
The state government said the structures were without statutory approvals, defective structures and built on road setbacks and drainages.
Confirming the demolition exercise, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, in a post on X, said the operation was targeted at “illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective structures, and buildings erected on road setbacks and drainages.”
Gawat said the government took the action because the unapproved structures were haphazardly built in the complex.
According to him, “The Lagos State Government has begun removal of illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals and defective structures, and structures built on road setbacks and drainages in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Local Government area.”
It was further gathered that the operation was jointly carried out by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority.
They were supported during the exercise by officials from the Office of Infrastructure, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and security agencies.
Bulldozers were seen pulling down marked structures, while some traders and shop owners looked on with concern over the impact on their businesses.
The Sanwo-Olu administration had warned residents against building any structure without proper approvals or blocking drainage channels, pointing out that the violations were contributing to incidents of flooding in the metropolis, traffic congestion, and urban disorder in Lagos.