Lagos Issues 2-Month Demolition Notice to Owners of Shop Extensions in Oshodi

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), has issued a two-month ultimatum to traders and shop owners in the Oshodi markets to remove all unauthorized extensions and attachments on their shops by July 31, 2024, or face demolition.

Arc. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager of LASBCA, announced the deadline during an advocacy and sensitization program organized in collaboration with the Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA). Oki emphasized the state government’s commitment to enforcing physical planning laws and restoring environmental order in Lagos markets.

“No amount of resistance and intimidation by miscreants or ethnic coloration put in blackmailing the state from doing the needful can make the State Government go back on its resolve to clean up the entire Lagos market of extensions and attachments,” Oki declared.

He criticized the disruptive practices of shop owners who build extensions and attachments, obstructing walkways and roads, and hindering the smooth flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, especially during emergencies. Oki stressed the importance of maintaining clear roadways within the market, stating, “The market is a road, and if there is no road, there is no market.”

Reiterating the administration’s unwavering commitment to clearing the right of way in all markets across the state, Oki noted, “Clearing of the right of way is a standing order by the Governor and there’s no going back until the right of way is clear in all markets across the state.”

Oki also highlighted the economic benefits of compliance, pointing out that illegal structures deter potential customers who would otherwise patronize the market if roads were motorable and free of traffic bottlenecks.

Furthermore, Oki called on those placing petrol and diesel generators on rooftops and staircases to remove them immediately for safety reasons.

Otunba Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede, Chairman of Oshodi/Isolo LCDA, supported the directive, urging traders to comply voluntarily to avoid forceful removal similar to recent actions in Lagos Island.

Alhaja Risikat, the Iyaloja of Oshodi Market, expressed gratitude for the grace period provided by the government, assuring that traders would adhere to the deadline and remove the extensions and attachments themselves.

“The directives to shop and property owners align with the Lagos State Government’s broader efforts to ensure safety and orderliness in public spaces,” Oki stated. The removal of illegal extensions and attachments is expected to enhance the market’s aesthetic appeal and improve the overall trading experience for both traders and customers.

The advocacy and sensitization program also included representatives of market leaders, developers, community leaders, and officials of LASBCA.