The Lagos State Government has embarked on a round of demolition in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
The exercise began on Wednesday as structures causing setbacks along the Ikota drainage channel were demolished.
It was gathered that the owners of the affected structures had been served a series of contravention notices well over two decades ago.
Also affected were similar structures at Gedegede communities in the Lekki Phase 2 area of the state.
Residents in the state have been faced with increasing severe flooding in the past few months due to the incessant rainfall. This resulted in the loss of lives and property damage.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on October 8 issued a one-week quit notice to people who have illegally constructed shops and market stalls on drainages and unauthorised stores in some flooded areas in the state.
Speaking on the demolition on Wednesday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said it underscored the seriousness of the Sanwo-Olu administration about law and order.
Wahab, who was represented by the Director of Drainage of Enforcement and Compliance, Mahmood Adegbite, said contravention notices were served on the property owners in 2000 when all the structures were at foundation levels.
He said, “They however proved recalcitrant and rebuffed all measures suggested by the government to prevent flooding, sandfilled the setback of the channel preparatory to constructing more structures.”
Wahab urged intending property owners to cooperate with the government and seek information before embarking on any building project to avert a similar form of demolition.
