Lagos: Majority of demolished structures owned by Yorubas — Group

The South West Professional Forum (SOWPROF) has said that the majority of illegal structures being demolished in Lagos state are owned by Yoruba people.

The group President, Chief Segun Ajibulu in a statement made available to journalists by Lateef Kayode, the group’s Assistant General Secretary refuted the claims adding that the majority of illegal structures demolished in Lagos are owned by Yoruba people.

SOWPROF established in 2012 as a coalition of South West-based professional groups, dismissed insinuations that the demolition was targeting a particular group.

According to him, “We need to set the records straight. We have done diligent checks. We have a compilation of all the victims of the demolition of illegal structures in Lagos. We have done an extensive compilation of the victims and the issues involved. Some 80 per cent of the victims of the demolished of illegal buildings in Lagos are from the South West area.”

The professional group said attempts by a few people to ethnicise the environmental issue is self-serving.

The group said it is a pity that ethnic politics is being introduced to the attempts by the Lagos State Government to deal with serious environmental hazards that have led to flooding, deaths and that even threaten the collective future of the people of the state.

It urged the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu not to be deterred by parochial critiques introducing ethnic politics into a purely environmental issue.

SOWPROF said it started the compilation of names of the landlords five months ago and that the names of owners of the demolished buildings are available for the public.

The group said the demolition of illegal buildings is a nationwide issue.

The statement reads, “It takes place in all the South East, North West, North East and South-South. It has happened in Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri, Aba, Kaduna, Ilorin, Makurdi and many cities across the country. It is unfortunate that some people are exploring the fragile political situation in the country to cause disaffection using the demolition of illegal buildings in Lagos State as a pun in the game.”

SOWPROF said property owners should ensure they do not invest in land and property that infringe on existing environmental laws.

“We urge critiques to recall that in September 2022, the then Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi of Ebonyi State directed the demolition of 65 houses at Ogwuma, Afikpo South Local Government Area of the State, following a landslide recorded in the area in July,” SOWPROF stated.

 

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