•Demolished buildings
Thousands of persons were today rendered homeless, with businesses and worship centres demolished in Agric Bus Stop, Owusu 1 Community Development Area (CDA), Ikorodu, Lagos.
When our correspondent visited the area today, officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) were seen demolishing the buildings with the support of officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and police officers, reports The Guardian.
The residents said they were awakened this morning by the noise of bulldozers and thugs who beseeched the houses and started demolishing it, preventing anyone from taking anything from their home.
LASBCA on January 23, 2025, issued a quit notice to residents of the areas that it observed the development of shanties in the area and that no evidence of a building permit from the Lagos State Government.
But on January 28, 2025, the residents through Alexander Ishogba & Co petitioned the Lagos State Government, Lagos State House of Assembly, and the Permanent Secretary, LASBCA, Gbolahan Oki.
The law firm acting as solicitors to the Landlords and Residents Association of Agric Area in Owuti Community, Ikorodu, Lagos State, appealed for intervention.
Speaking with our correspondent, a resident, Isaac Orobose, said: “LASBCA came to us that they wanted to demolish and the matter was taken to court and we have been waiting for the court. We don’t have a government in Nigeria; where do I put my children? Where will the elders stay tonight?
“My house in 178 and 179 was demolished in Aduragbemi Street. LASBCA officials being aided by the police are selling off our iron gates and others to scavengers.”
Speaking also, Owutu 1 CDA Chairperson, Princess Victoria Adebowale, said: “We have been on this matter for a while and the matter has been in the court, and we were in court on Friday, March 21, 2025.
“We went to the House of Assembly and we were told that they will speak with LASBCA. On Wednesday, March 19, 2025 we went to the office of Physical Planning to inquire from them.
“We are aware that some people are hiding under the government to take our property from us.
“Our buildings are not in distress, so there is something fishy about the demolition.”
The spokesperson of LASBCA, Ademuyiwa Adu, told our correspondent, “We are only demolishing houses in distress. We have issued them with quit notices and they should have left before now. The houses are unfit.”
