Lagos Shuts Mikano Property Over Illegal Land Reclamation

The Lagos State Government has shut a Mikano property for ignoring the ‘stop work’ order earlier issued on the property.

The 8-floor property on Queen’s Drive, Ikoyi, undergoing construction, was sealed off during a joint inspection by the commissioners for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ekundayo Alebiosu, and Physical Planning & Urban Development, Olumide Olayinka.

They expressed their displeasure at the disregard for the ‘stop work’ order earlier issued until they produced their papers.

They also corrected the notion that government had been ignoring those flouting the law.

Alebiosu said: “Government cannot ignore and still ask us to do what we are doing, it is a process. We have received several petitions and complaints, and this is why I am here with the Commissioner for Physical Planning, to test the veracity of those claims.

“Although serious enforcement will start soon, we issued a stop work order two weeks ago, but they disobeyed. We are here today and we saw them still working, so we had to stop them again, and you can see they have obeyed that order. We are expecting them to give us their documentation.

“These people also need to go to the Ministry of Environment for their drainage application, they need their EIA, TIA from Transport, their surveys and some other things to get approvals. They cannot just jump on site and start construction. These are some of the infractions we have discovered from those applying for approvals.”

Olayinka said his office would descend heavily on defaulters, adding that quit notices would be served and demolition would follow.

He said: “The Physical Planning law states that all developments must be approved before you begin construction. And not only that, you need our control in terms of certifying stages. Most of the structures you see along the waterway do not have approval. This is why we are marking them. Those of them that we have identified to have extended beyond the approval given, we shall force them to comply.

“So I’m using this opportunity to warn those in this habit to stop, they should do the right thing. Again, we’re going to come out very heavily. Quit notices will be served and demolition will follow.”