The Lagos State Government on Thursday launched a major demolition exercise at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo to remove illegal and unsafe structures, reinforcing its commitment to enforcing physical planning laws and restoring order.
Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the operation in a post on X, stating it targeted “illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective structures, and buildings erected on road setbacks and drainages.”
According to Gawat, the government could no longer tolerate unapproved constructions that block vital infrastructure and endanger lives. “The Lagos State Government has begun removal of illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals and defective structures, and structures built on road setbacks and drainages in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Local Government area,” he said.
The joint operation involved 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, alongside the Office of Infrastructure, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and security agencies providing enforcement support.
Bulldozers moved in early Thursday, pulling down marked buildings as traders and shop owners watched anxiously, concerned about the impact on their businesses.
The Sanwo-Olu administration has repeatedly warned residents against erecting structures without proper approvals or blocking drainage channels—violations that exacerbate flooding, traffic congestion, and urban disorder.
This latest exercise follows the recent expiration of a government-mandated amnesty programme that allowed owners of unapproved or irregular buildings to regularise their properties without penalty. With the grace period now over, LASBCA has intensified enforcement, particularly in areas
