TRADE FAIR DEMOLITION: LASG DEFENDS ACTION, ACCUSES OBI OF DISINFORMATION

The Lagos State Government has defended the demolition of some newly built shopping plazas within the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, off the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, GBENGA OMOTOSHO, said the owners of the building did not get approval from the Lagos State Government. OMOTOSHO also admitted that the Management Board of the Trade Fair Complex granted permission for buildings to be erected, which he said was wrong. He said the Lagos State government gave the owners of the building the opportunity to regularise their papers, which was extended several times, but said they failed to do so. The Commissioner of Information and Strategy said owners of the demolished buildings shunned invitation of the state government to discuss the situation, adding that their defence was that the Management Board of the Trade Fair had granted them permits to build the structures. GBENGA OMOTOSHO further alleged that when Physical Planning officials visited the complex, the gates were locked against them, and they were beaten up. OMOTOSHO said the Trade Fair Board, which is a creation of the Federal Government to manage the complex, does not have powers to approve or regulate building developments within the complex independent of Lagos State Government. He maintained that physical planning and building approvals are within the remit of State Governments, adding that “Under the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992, as domesticated by Lagos State’s Physical Planning and Development Regulations), all physical development in any part of Lagos must obtain planning permit/approval from the Lagos State Government through its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development”. The Commissioner cited a Supreme Court judgment of 2003 (Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Attorney-General of the Federation) that land use and physical planning fall under concurrent jurisdiction, and states retain the authority to regulate development control within their territories, including federal lands, except for core areas like military formations or exclusive federal enclaves. The official said while the Trade Fair Complex Board may manage leases, tenancies, and commercial activities, any construction, alteration, or development still requires Lagos State planning permit. “Otherwise, such developments would be deemed illegal under state law, and the Lagos State Government has the power to seal or demolish them". He stated that the Management Board can allocate spaces and give administrative consent, but building approvals must pass through Lagos State Government. The Lagos State Commissioner of Information and Strategy made the clarifications in a statement in reaction to comments by opposition politician and 2023 president candidate of the Labour Party, PETER OBI, in which he is reported to have praised the traders for their restraint. GBENGA OMOTOSHO said it was unfair for PETER OBI to have launched into what he described as emotional theatrics, describing the incident as “a test of impunity, justice and compassion” - all in an effort to mislead the public by misinformation and disinformation.