Two demolition orders were sent to Mende Villa Estate residents by the government in 2021 and 2023, according to Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment.
The Mende Villa property developer had made accusations that no sufficient notice had been given prior to the demolition exercise starting, and the commissioner’s clarification followed suit.
He stated that the government authorities had issued violation notices and identified the properties targeted for demolition prior to the exercise taking place on Saturday when he appeared on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Sunday.
Wahab claims that Tunji Bello, his predecessor, sent notices of violation to properties in Mende Villa, Maryland, in 2021 to those encroaching on the System One drainage channel’s setback. Bello also took office during Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.
The most recent notices, he continued, were sent to the developers in November 2023.
The commissioner questioned, “If there were no notices, how come the Developer has been providing us with documents and correspondences for the past month?”
Wahab went on to say that the Lagos Civil Service was made up of the most capable employees who would never take part in actions that could endanger their future and career.
“I can say this with confidence: the Lagos Civil Service has the brightest minds around, and they won’t play around with a procedure that could endanger their jobs,” he declared.
“We decided to go through this procedure once more and work our way back through it after sitting down for more than a week. They have adequate warning for this from us. He hasn’t disputed that we needed to determine the specific alignment for the previous 2.5 years.
Let’s keep sentiments and feelings out of this. We must accept responsibility for the truth if we wish to create a better society and a good nation. Actually, notices were served to them.
They were talking to the administration, but all they wanted was to have their cake.
Additionally, he clarified that the right-of-way was widened 60/40 (60 Mende/40 Ogudu) rather than remaining at 140 metres on the Mende side alone, and that this was made possible by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s generosity.
“I went there myself; if I was mischievous, I wouldn’t be there with them,” he continued. We could have lowered the breadth from 140 to 100, and even the governor had approved of it, so I would have followed the office’s orders, but I refused since I owed them an explanation.
The commissioner reiterated that the residents received two demolition notices and stressed that the executive acted in what it considered to be the overwhelming public interest.
When Lagos starts tearing down houses on drainage, online users take offence.
He also exhorted people to use the legal system to seek justice if they believed their rights had been abused.
Are there one or two injured people? Maybe yes, maybe no; I’ll tell you. However, I can confirm that we have been serving them with notifications since 2021, and the honourable member who is representing them is aware of this.
We’ve held meeting after meeting, but the government must act now that the rains have begun, he suggested.
On Saturday, the Arowojobe and Mende Estate villa’s portion was demolished by the Lagos State Government, regaining the Odo-Iya Alaro channel’s right of way.
It was revealed on his X account by Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, the Minister of Environment and Water Resources.
“Earlier today, I visited the ongoing reclamation of the drainage setback on System 1 (Odo Iyalaro Ogudu Reach) again with other directors, the PS OES, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji, and the PS ODS, Engineer Mahamood Adegbite,” he said. “I am the SA on Environment, Hon. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu.”
A public uproar over the exercise came from a variety of social groups, who accused the government of removing millions of dollars worth of assets without giving enough notice.
Trendy Yemi Alade, a Nigerian artist, predicted that this would deter people from buying real estate.
