Lagos State has begun demolishing illegal and unsafe structures at the Trade Fair Complex, citing threats to infrastructure, safety, and urban order.
The Lagos State Government on Thursday began demolishing illegal and unsafe structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, citing the need to enforce planning laws and restore order.
Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the operation in a post on X, noting that it targeted “illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective structures, and buildings erected on road setbacks and drainages.”
The exercise was jointly carried out by the Ministry of Physical Planning, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, with security agencies providing backup.
Bulldozers were seen pulling down marked buildings as traders and shop owners expressed concern over their livelihoods.
Officials stressed that the operation was part of broader efforts to curb flooding, traffic congestion, and urban disorder, warning residents against erecting unapproved structures that endanger lives and block vital infrastructure.