The Lagos State government has continued the demolition of building extensions in markets on Lagos Island.
The government says this was to create a free flow of traffic in the markets.
Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who shared the video of the ongoing demolition on his verified X handle said the building extensions were earlier demolished. But they were rebuilt by the owners.
The demolition exercise is being carried out by a combined team of the Ministry of Special Duties; Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development; Ministry of Environment and Water Resources; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA); Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service; Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) (also know as KAI); Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA); Lagos Central Business Districts and Nigeria Police Force.
The demolition, according to Gawat, is part of the recommendations of a committee set up to look into the Dosunmu fire incident that occurred last month.
“Lagos State government continues the removal of illegal extensions in Markets in Lagos Island to ensure safety, orderliness and opening up of Free Flow of Traffic, the illegal extensions removed before were rebuilt by the defaulters.
“A Combined team of the Special Duties, Physical Planning, Environment, Urban Development, LASTMA, LASBCA, LNSC, KAI, CBD, LASURA, Lagos Fire Service, NPF.
“This operation is part of the recommendations of the Docemo Fire Incident Committee led by the Commissioner of Special Duties, Hon. Gbenga Oyerinde,” he said.
Following the fire outbreak that occurred at Dosunmu (Idumota) market in April, Sanwo-Olu had said that unapproved and failed structures within the market would be demolished.
At least 16 buildings were affected, out of which six self-collapsed as a result of the fire, which the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service attributed the cause to the refuelling of a generator and storage of fuel in kegs at the penthouse of a three-building complex housing a printing shop with chemical contents.
The governor who ordered integrity test of buildings in the market and adjoining areas, said the fire was preventable.
He decried the conversion of residential buildings in the market area to warehouses without approval from the government, stating that a preliminary report indicted owners of buildings in the market.