Sanwo-Olu orders demolition of two-storey building in Lagos’ Banana Island

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, ordered the immediate demolition of a two-storey building in Banana Island, Ikoyi.

Sanwo-Olu, who gave the directive during a visit to the scene of the collapsed seven-storey building on First Avenue, Banana Island, blamed the incident on “irresponsible” activities of developers in the state.

He also directed the relevant government agencies to seal of other buildings in the area.

The governor was accompanied on the trip to the site of the collapsed building by the state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tayo Bamigbose-Martin, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, and General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), Gbolahan Oki, among others.

The high-rise building collapsed on April 13 and trapped several workers under the rubble.

However, one person was brought dead and 25 others rescued by emergency responders.

Sanwo-Olu said: “We are at the site of the last unfortunate building collapse in Banana Island Lagos and I’m sure you have all gone around and seen the site.

Read also:Lagos tribunal orders substituted service of election petition on Sanwo-Olu

“Like it has been reported before now, there has been a lot of investigation that is going on right now and you can see that they are still clearing the rubbles at the site.

“We have given the order to stop work, not only at this site but also in all of the construction sites in Banana Island.

“I think that the exercise we are doing today is not really just about this location.

“You have all seen the extent of what I will call an unapproved extension into the water. You can see that the original line for Banana Island is even not where we are.

“It’s way in front there and you can see that there are several extensions that have been granted by both the Federal Ministry of Work and Housing. These are the two federal agencies that have been culpable for those extensions.”

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