The Lagos State Government has said the demolition of buildings in Mende in the Maryland area of the state is lawful.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources in Lagos State, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known in an interview on Sunday.
Wahab said the structures hindered the flow of drainage in the area and the property owners were served “requisite notices” before their buildings were removed from the System 1 Drainage Right of Way.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the commissioner said the structures were removed to avoid the flooding of the whole of the Mainland.
Wahab said the owners of the affected buildings were engaged and served personally before their properties were marked subsequently.
The commissioner stated that the state environmental laws allow the removal of buildings seen as encumbrances on drainage channels.
He said: “They claimed they were not served notices, they were served. They had come for meetings severally. The residents’ association had met with the Permanent Secretary, Engr Mahmood Adekunle Adegbite severally in my office. So, on what basis were they having meetings if they were not served?
“The first notices were served on them in 2021. Each of the property owners on Systems 1 were duly written that they should remove their encumbrances because they were sitting on Systems 1. That led to engagements with my predecessor in office, Mr Tunji Bello.”
Wahab said on assumption of office last year, his administration wrote the residents because “these properties were sitting on Systems 1 Right of Way, that is Odo Iya Alaro Right of Way”.
He said the Odo Iya Alaro Drainage Channel is important to the flow of erosion in the state.
Wahab further stated that some decisions are very painful but tough decisions must be taken to govern well. He was, however, mute about possible compensation for owners of the affected buildings.