Lagos to begin demolition of illegal buildings in Banana Island

The Lagos government says marking illegal buildings in Banana Island for demolition will commence on Monday.

Gbolahan Oki, the general manager of Lagos state Building Control Agency (LASBCA), spoke on Thursday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Banana Island.

Oki said the illegal buildings are encroaching on prohibited areas and posing safety risks.

“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,” he said.

“After that, I am going to pull everything down.”

Oki said the decision was taken as a result of the citing of illegal buildings close to the shoreline and under high-tension power lines, which violated established planning rules and regulations.

He noted that the agency had taken similar action by removing buildings under high-tension lines in other areas of Lagos, including Abule Egba, Iya Niba and Iyana Isheri.

“The government’s regulations require buildings to be at least 150 metres from the shoreline, which was generously reduced to 100 metres,” he added.

“Even with the leniency, some developers have failed to comply.”

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, on e-GIS and planning matters, noted that the state has the sole authority on land matters as enshrined in the Land Use Act.

Olajide said Lagos had a master plan for the area, noting that unauthorised sand filling and land reclamation have disrupted the development the state envisioned.

Abidemi Sonaike, the chairman of the Banana Island Association, expressed willingness to cooperate with the government and other stakeholders to resolve issues on the estate.

He commended the state government’s initiative of calling for the meeting, noting that it was a positive step toward collaboration.