Olusegun Ariyo
The Lagos State Government has announced that it will begin marking illegal buildings on Banana Island for demolition by Monday, February 17, 2025.
Mr. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), announced at a stakeholder meeting on Banana Island, on Thursday, February 13.
He said that the buildings were encroaching on prohibited areas, violating building codes and posing safety risks.
Oki said: “From Monday to Friday, next week, officials will come and mark the buildings; the following week, we will just give you two weeks to get your documents ready.
“After that, I am going to pull everything down.”
The general manager said that the decision followed illegal constructions on Banana Island, particularly buildings under high-tension power lines and those too close to the shoreline.
He said that the lives of Lagos residents were more important than the property’s value.
Oki said that LASBCA had taken a similar action in other areas such as Abule Egba, Iya Niba and Iyana Isheri, by removing buildings under high-tension lines.
The general manager said buildings under high-tension lines or too close to the shoreline violated established planning rules and regulations.
Oki said: “The government’s regulations require buildings to be at least 150 metres from the shoreline, which was generously reduced to 100 metres.
“Even with the leniency, some developers have failed to comply.”
Dr Babatunde Olajide, Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS and Planning Matters, emphasised that the state government, through the governor, was the sole authority on land matters within the state, as stipulated by the Land Use Act.
He said that the state had a master plan for the area, adding that unauthorised sand filling and land reclamation had disrupted the organised development the state envisioned.
He appealed to the residents to cooperate with the state government, saying that the government was there to serve them and needed their cooperation to do so effectively.
He said that the government had received complaints about illegal extensions in the area and had set up a committee headed by Mr Olalekan Sodeinde, Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, to investigate.
Mr Olalekan Sodeinde, Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Lagos State, said that the estate, which was once a source of pride and a premium property location, was losing its status due to negative environmental impacts.
This, he said, was the reason the government intervened to restore order and prevent further degradation.
He also confirmed that the governor directed his Special Adviser on e-GIS and Planning Matters and the Office of Urban Development to conduct an assessment of the situation.
The Chairman, of the Banana Island Association, Mr. Abidemi Sonaike, expressed willingness to cooperate with the government and other stakeholders to resolve issues on the estate.
He expressed satisfaction at the government’s initiative in calling the meeting, saying it was a positive first step toward collaboration.
Sonaike called for joint efforts to find lasting solutions.
