Mr Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources in Lagos State has stated that the owners of the demolished buildings in Mende in the Maryland area of the state were personally served “requisite notices” before their buildings were removed from the System 1 Drainage Right of Way over the weekend.
He stated that the buildings were demolished because they hindered the flow of drainage.
While speaking on Channels TV on Sunday, May 5, Wahab said the property owners were notified as far back as 2021.
During the demolition, the property owners alleged that they were only given two hours’ notice before their buildings were pulled down by the government. The commissioner however said the drainage right of way was set aside since 1974 and the residents were duly engaged before the demolitions were carried out.
“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 was 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.”
He 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”.
Wahab said the owners of the affected buildings were served personally and their properties were marked subsequently. “We didn’t just go there, we also engaged them,” the commissioner stated, arguing that the state environmental laws allow the removal of buildings seen as encumbrances on drainage channels.
He said the Odo Iya Alaro Drainage Channel is important to the state’s erosion flow.
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.
Watch a video of him speaking as well as the demolition of the properties below;
