On Saturday Morning, 18th October 2023, the FHA commenced demolishing of some residential buildings in the Amuwo-Odofin LGA, Lagos State.
The demolition comes in light of a notice which was served to occupants and owners of the affected and marked buildings by the authority notified the occupants of government’s readiness to demolish houses and structures in the area in August 2023.
Who is Demolishing the Buildings
The ongoing demolition is being carried out by the Federal Housing Authority. FHA who are the owners of these areas.
Which Areas Are Affected ?
The affected areas are some illegal estates that have been developed without due regularization of appropriate bodies. Some of the affected estate is 91 Road, Stonewaters Estate, Abulado axis of Amuwo-Odofin and some other areas in the Abulado
Why are the Buildings Demolished
According to source, the South-West Zone of the Federal Housing Authority has said that occupants of houses marked for demolition at the Festac Phase 2 area which is the Abulado axis of Amuwo-Odofin LGA, Lagos State had violated the rules.
The FHA expressed dissatisfaction that the occupants had continued to erect structures without abiding by the order. The Zonal Managing Director of FHA, South-West Zone, Hakeem Olagbemiro, said these houses were illegally acquired and were being developed by unregistered developers.
He said,
“A lot of illegality has gone up in that place, and I mean an illegal development. And we are looking at how best we can solve this and ensure people live in a serene environment. We want to ensure that we do our part by making people live in quality houses for them to live in.
“Unfortunately, we have had a series of issues of illegal estate developers, illegal people selling lands, people who claimed they owned the place and we have litigation from many angles.”
Also many of these illegal buildings affected are on roads, some on pipelines and some on drainages.
What Are Residents Saying
Many of the affected individual’s and property owners in these axis have lamented on this development, Festaconline Media spoke to a few who didn’t want to speak to the media. Some were angry and bitter about the situation, while some also linked it to tribal segregation and some blaming the Lagos state government. The affected individual’s were seen trying to pack their properties.
Some persons also said that they were actually aware of the demolition but many people didnt think it would happen.
Recall
Recall that in November 2021, the demolition excercise was carried out in some parts of Festac Town and the FHA who had meetings with stakeholders then Ashafa, said his administration listened to pleas of encroachers who ignorantly built illegally on government land so as to reduce their losses. They were told to wait and that the FHA will go on to consider all professional and safety measures to salvage as much as we can without endangering lives and that all houses to be considered must pass the required integrity checks to be carried out by FHA professionals.
Mrs Francisca Michael-James, FHA Head of Town Planning, South-West Zone, while making a slide presentation, said encroachers did not adhere to construction standards. She said the structures clogged the Right of Way, blocked roads and drainage channels thereby making it difficult for the FHA to decide realignments in the planned regularization.
According to an official of the FHA, after the stakeholder meeting with the FHA and those who own these buildings who were told to wait for regularization , some waited and others continued building and some started afresh without permission and flouting the federal government order.
During a visit to the area where houses were marked for demolition, the Zonal Deputy General Manager of Urban and Regional Planning, Francesca Michael-James, said it was high time the organisation started pulling down houses marked for demolition.
More Details coming soon……