LAGOS DEMOLISHES STRUCTURES UNDER HIGH-TENSION LINES IN IKOLA OVER SAFETY RISKS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Lagos State Government has intensified safety operations in Ikola community with the controlled demolition of structures erected beneath high-tension electricity lines.
The state government said the exercise was aimed at protecting residents from risks associated with electrocution, fire outbreaks and possible structural collapse.
The intervention was carried out by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, in collaboration with the Lagos State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad.
According to a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the operation followed recent communal tensions in the area and the discovery of extensive informal settlements within the high-voltage power-line corridor.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the exercise was specifically targeted at structures erected within the statutory right-of-way of the electricity transmission lines and was not directed at any ethnic group or community.
He described the situation as a “dangerous structural reality” that posed serious risks to residents living within the restricted corridor.
LASEMA said affected residents were given adequate notice and sufficient time to evacuate the structures and retrieve their belongings before the demolition commenced.
The agency described the exercise as a coordinated, humane and orderly intervention, adding that heavy recovery equipment had been deployed to remove the structures and restore the power-line corridor to its intended purpose.
“All officers and personnel involved in the operation are safe, and the situation remains calm and under control,” the statement said.
The government noted that the recent clash between Hausa and Yoruba residents in Ikola had further highlighted the need to address broader public safety concerns in the community.
It stressed that while residents have the right to shelter and livelihoods, such rights must be balanced with the collective responsibility to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
“No development is sustainable where it is built on avoidable risk,” the government said.
The state government also pledged to continue engaging community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Ikola and other parts of Lagos to promote peaceful coexistence and ensure compliance with urban planning regulations.
It said residents would also be provided with information on safe and approved areas for settlement.
Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents to desist from erecting structures under high-tension power lines, gas pipelines and other restricted corridors.
He advised residents to seek guidance from relevant government authorities before commencing construction to avoid exposing themselves and others to preventable hazards.
The government said the intervention formed part of its broader commitment to building a safe, resilient and orderly Lagos, while upholding the rule of law and protecting the lives and property of residents.
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