The Lagos State government has revealed the reasons for the proposed demolition of parts of Alaba Market.
The Lagos State Government, in a statement signed by the General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Arc. Gbolahan Oki, revealed that it will mobilise its demolition gang to pulldown about 17 distressed buildings being used for commercial purposes within Alaba International Market in the Ojo area of the State.
Oki revealed this on Friday after an assessment visit to the distressed buildings marked for demolition where final warnings and vacation notices were given to the occupants of the affected buildings.
He explained that the demolition of the distressed buildings within the ALABA International Market has become very crucial and timely considering the danger that the buildings pose to other adjoining structures and the lives of businessmen and women within the market.
Oki said, “We know that this area is a commercial centre and one of the busiest markets in Lagos State but despite this, we cannot fold our arms and allow irregularities to continue to thrive in the market where the lives of innocent persons would be put at risk because of the failure of a few set of individuals who have refused to do the needful”.
“These buildings marked within this ALABA International Market would have been included in the list of 349 distressed buildings earlier published in different national newspapers this year but because the occupants were always harassing our officers, it was impossible to capture the details of the structures and include them in the publication”.
“What we have done now is a joint exercise carried out by both the Lagos Task Force officers and the demolition gang of Lagos State Building Control Agency. The buildings would be demolished”, he noted.
Reacting to the demolishing notice, a trader who spoke in a video obtained by AbaCityBlog accused the Lagos State government of vandetta.
“He came here with security and told us to evacuate our goods and failure to do that, our goods will be lost. He gave us today to pack up, as you can see people are already evacuating their goods”.
“The man told us that Mr. Governor recorded zero votes from Alaba Market and we should go for the man we voted for”, he said.
Watch the video below
