Alaba International Market demolished to save lives — Lagos govt

<p>Chris Maduka, Secretary to the seven-man Technical Committee on Alaba International Demolition, commended action of the government to sanitise the market.</p>, <span>One of the distressed structures marked for demolition in Alaba Market.</span>, <h2>The Lagos State Government says recent demolition of distressed buildings in Alaba International Market in Ojo Local Council was neither a witch-hunt nor intended to acquire the land but done to protect lives.</h2>, <p>Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, (LABSCA) said this on Saturday during an on-the-spot assessment of the demolition site.</p>, <p>Oki visited the market amid heavy downpour alongside his counterpart in Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Kehinde Osinaike, and the seven-man committee set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the demolition exercise.</p>, <p>They were led on the trip by Oluwole Sotire, Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.</p>, <p>The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Hope Uzodinma, met with Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to put to rest allegations of tribal bias behind the demolition exercise.</p>, <p>During the on the spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.</p>, <p>According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, and necessary documentations needed by the state government were also ignored.</p>, <p>“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.</p>, <p>“I have seen people painting buildings that are dilapidated, that are not good, it is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.</p>, <p>Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or