The South West Professional Forum (SOWPROF) said that the majority of illegal structures demolished in Lagos are owned by the Yoruba.
This position by SOWPROF’s President, Chief Segun Ajibulu, was contained in a statement made available to journalists by Lateef Kayode, the group’s Assistant General Secretary.
SOWPROF, a coalition of South West-based professional groups, dismissed insinuations that the demolition was targeting a picular group.
“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 illegal buildings in Lagos are from the southwest area,” SOWPROF stated.
The group said the attempt by a few people to ethnicize the environmental issue is self-serving.
SOWPROF 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 and deaths and have become a threat to 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 and the introduction of ethnic politics into a purely environmental issue.
SOWPROF said it started the compilation of the names of the landlords five months ago and that the names of the owners of the demolished buildings are available to the public.
The group further noted that the demolition of illegal buildings is a nationwide issue, noting that such has happened across cities in the six geopolitical regions.
“We urge critics to recall that in September 2022, the then Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, 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.
It noted that earlier this year, Obeagu and Ndiagu Amechi-Uwani Awkunanaw communities in Enugu South Local Government Area had called on the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, to shelve its planned demolition of over 200 houses in Enugu Lifestyle and Golf City, otherwise known as Centenary City.
“But the government of Enugu State still carried out the demolition. The Abia State Task Force demolished many structures in Aba North, Aba South, Osisioma, Obingwa, and Ugwunagbor areas a few months ago. At the time, Uche Ukeje, Special Adviser to Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia, said the demolition was necessary to ensure the master plan of the state.
“In Anambra State, the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) resumed demolition exercise recently this year, with over 100 shops, hotels, and residential apartments located along Oby Okoli Avenue demolished to prevent flooding,” the group noted.
While urging investors to ascertain the legal status of any land or property before investing their money, SOWPROF tasked the various state governments with reforming the Land Ministry.
“The state governments should realise the Land Ministry is riddled with corrupt officials. It is a lack of wisdom to allow people to buy land, develop it for months or even years while the government watches, only to come back years later to demolish the buildings after millions or even billions have been spent,” SOWPROF said.
