Lagos demolishes illegal structures around schools, drainage

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps has torn down illegal buildings outside the Salvation Army Primary School fence in Ayobo, Ipaja.

This comes after several citizens accused local government officials of being to blame for the unlawful buildings that have sprung up along school perimeter fences and drainage alignments across the state.

In a video posted on X by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the owners of the structures were seen quickly saving their belongings while the destruction was underway.

The residents said that council officials allocated the spots for the buildings.

The owners of the structures were also alleged to have been remitting a certain amount of money to the officials.

A resident, who identified himself only as Kennedy, said, “The presence of the illegal structures was with the knowledge of the council officials. They are the ones that often allocate the space. They also collect levies; some are paid daily while some are made monthly, depending on the agreement.”

Another resident, Kemi Adekunle, said the demolition was not the first time in the area.

He said, “It is not the first time the government would destroy illegal structures and shanties around schools and drainage channels in this area, but once they are demolished, the owners return to erect the structures with the backing of some persons claiming to be working with the local government.”