The Lagos State Government on Thursday began demolishing illegal and unsafe structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo as part of efforts to restore order and enforce physical planning laws.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the exercise in a post on X. He explained that the operation targeted “illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective buildings, and constructions erected on road setbacks and drainages.”
According to Gawat, the state could no longer overlook unapproved developments that obstruct critical infrastructure and endanger public safety.
“The Lagos State Government has begun removal of illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective structures, and buildings constructed on road setbacks and drainages in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Local Government Area,” he said.
The demolition was carried out jointly by the Ministry of Physical Planning, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, with support from the Office of Infrastructure, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and security operatives who provided backup.
Bulldozers were deployed to bring down marked structures as traders and shop owners looked on, worried about the effect on their businesses.
The Sanwo-Olu administration has repeatedly warned residents against erecting buildings without proper approvals or blocking drainage channels, stressing that such practices worsen flooding, traffic congestion, and urban disorder in Lagos.
Thursday’s exercise is part of the state’s wider campaign to safeguard infrastructure and public safety in the face of rapid urbanisation.
However, previous demolitions have sparked backlash from affected residents, who complained of inadequate notice and loss of property. For example, in Oworonshoki, several residents said they were not given sufficient time to relocate or protect their belongings.
The state had earlier introduced an amnesty programme allowing owners of unapproved or irregular buildings to regularise their properties without penalty. That window, which was extended multiple times, has now expired, paving the way for stricter enforcement.
With the expiration of the programme, LASBCA has intensified demolition of illegal constructions, especially in areas where structures obstruct drainage systems, encroach on road setbacks, or are deemed unsafe for habitation.
