Amid controversies over the demolition of structures inside the Trade Fair complex, the Lagos State Government has disclosed that the buildings were pulled down after the owners rejected all avenues provided for dialogue over the issue.
It said that the officials sent to the complex to remind the owners of the laws guiding the construction of buildings were alleged to have been assaulted and were rescued by the law enforcement officers in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, reaffirmed this while responding to questions on a popular television programme on the argument on the right of the State Government to enforce development laws inside the Trade Fair complex, which is a federal government property, following the removal of illegal buildings and structures built on road setbacks and drainage channels at the popular Trade Fair Complex.
Omotoso said that the decision to remove the offending structures was not impromptu, just as he recalled that the matter had been ongoing since 2024.
According to him, monitoring and Enforcement officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, on inspection of the complex and environs, were manhandled and detained.
He added that it took the intervention of the Area Commander and the Commissioner of Police for the officials to be rescued.
“Despite that affront, the government extended an invitation to the stakeholders for a dialogue on the development and to find a common ground, but they declined the invitation, which left the State Executive Council without an option but to enforce the law.
“Apart from the meeting that was rejected, the Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, provided a period of amnesty to the owners of such buildings to regularise them during the 90-day amnesty period, May 2nd-July 30, 2024, which was later extended to October 31, 2024; and further extended till December 31st, 2024”.
While restating the need for compliance with Lagos’ physical planning and urban development laws and regulations, he said that “States have the absolute right to grant permits and approvals over any building, except buildings for defence or those to be used for national edifices. But whether the land belongs to the Federal Government or not, intending developers still have to get a permit from the Lagos State Government, because the 1992 law is domesticated in Lagos State.”
“The State government reiterated its resolve to ensure the development of the megacity in accordance with the rules and regulations guiding urban development. The separation of the illegal structures from the complex is in accordance with the laws of the State, and to prevent heavy flooding and environmental degradation arising from high density”.
Omotoso outlined the Government’s position on the violation of the physical planning laws, “The 1992 Regional and Urban Planning law states that the Federal Government has powers over security, but that in planning, the State Government has the power to determine what and how it should be built in the State, which was consolidated and reinforced by the 2003 Supreme Court judgment.
On the issue that the complex in question is a Federal Government property and the owners of those buildings got approvals from the Federal Ministry of Housing, the Commissioner lamented that the open lands and spaces around the Trade Fair Complex have been encroached upon illegally, causing environmental degradation.
