By LYDIA CHIGOZIE-NGWAKWE

The Lagos State Government will begin enforcing building regulations in Ikeja GRA this weekend. Demolition of illegal structures is scheduled to start on Saturday.

Mr Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary at the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), made this known during a meeting with developers and residents of Ikeja GRA.

He stated that the time for issuing warnings was over. Enforcement, he said, would begin immediately, beginning with building markings and demolitions on Saturday.

?Thank you very much. As elders say, a journey of a million years begins in one day. I?m ready to lead.

?If I get approval, I?ll start painting and marking buildings owners won?t like. I will remove them,? Oki said.

He explained that enforcement would start in Ikeja GRA and then move to Ikoyi and Banana Island. The state would no longer tolerate lawlessness.

Oki said LASBCA officers would accompany him and remove buildings that visibly breach approved building plans, especially those with extra floors or altered use.

?The operation will continue for two to three weeks. Anyone who feels untouchable will be arrested and jailed.

?We are past the warning stage. We?ll seal and demolish any non-compliant structure. My officers are ready,? he said.

He clarified that the initiative is not about wealth or aesthetics but about maintaining order and safeguarding public interest in residential areas.

?If your approval was for a three-bedroom flat, don?t convert it to four. Don?t build higher than allowed. Follow the rules,? he said.

Oki said LASBCA would not accept payments or offers to regularise as substitutes for compliance with planning regulations.

?You will pay heavily. Nobody told you to build beyond approval. You?ll be held accountable and prosecuted,? he cautioned.

He criticised property owners who sent engineers to the meeting, calling it a sign of disrespect to the government and community.

?This isn?t just about buildings or money. It?s about being responsible and thinking about others. In the UK or US, people obey planning laws,? he said.

He noted that past notices and invitations were ignored, adding that the government would no longer tolerate breaches of planning laws.

?This is our second meeting. Yet, the same people send representatives. You can?t keep breaking the law without facing the consequences.

?Enough is enough. We?re restoring order to GRA,? he said.

He also condemned the obstruction of access roads, especially those leading to key facilities like the Lagos State General Hospital.

?Emergency vehicles can?t get through due to parked cars. If someone dies in an ambulance, who will take responsibility?? he asked.

Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), Chairman of the Ikeja GRA Residents Association, voiced strong support for the government?s actions.

?We are very satisfied, even excited. Enforcement begins tomorrow. The message is simple: everyone must obey the law.

?That?s all we ask ? residents and government alike. Without rule of law, there can be no meaningful development,? Banire said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ikeja GRA residents have long raised concerns about overcrowding, illegal conversions, and blocked access to public infrastructure. (NAN)

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