The Lagos State Government has given residents in state-owned housing estates a four-month deadline to remove all illegal structures and building extensions that violate approved estate layouts.
The directive, issued by the Lagos State Ministry of Housing, warned that any construction outside the approved estate plans must be removed within the stipulated period or face government enforcement.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abdulhafis Toriola, reiterated the warning during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Alausa Secretariat with executives of the Ojokoro Estate Residents Association in Meiran.
Toriola said the extent of unauthorized developments in the estate became clear during a recent inspection, stressing that the government would not allow the distortion of approved master plans for state-owned estates.
“The Ministry will not fold its arms and allow the distortion of the original master plan of any state-owned estate,” he said, adding that allottees were informed of property regulations before allocation as outlined in the Allottee’s Guide.
At the meeting, stakeholders agreed that all identified violations in the estate must be cleared within four months. Toriola also disclosed that the ministry had secured approval to demolish illegal structures and restore the estate to its original design.
He explained that the exercise was aimed at correcting planning violations, improving security, and enhancing the overall appearance of the estate rather than punishing homeowners.
Responding to claims by some residents that they had obtained approval for building modifications from the Lagos Building Investment Company, the firm’s Assistant General Manager, Tosin Olugbile, denied granting such permissions.
Chairman of the residents’ association, Taiwo Akinde, acknowledged the growing number of illegal structures in the estate and expressed support for the government’s effort to restore order.
The ministry also urged residents across all state-owned housing estates to comply with approved building guidelines, warning that necessary measures would be taken to protect public assets and maintain the structural and environmental integrity of the estates.
