Lagos Govt vows to remove buildings under high-tension power lines
Lagos State Government has restated its determination to remove all buildings and structures erected beneath high-tension power lines across the state, warning that such encroachment poses severe safety risks to residents.
Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Electronic Geographic Information System (EGIS) and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, gave the warning on Monday during an assessment tour of the Third Mainland Bridge corridor.
Babatunde was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA), Oladimeji Animashaun and senior officials of other relevant agencies. The inspection covered areas from Oworonshoki to Adekunle and the Makoko axis of Ebute-Metta, where the team identified several shanties and illegal structures encroaching on the bridge setbacks and violating the legally prescribed 50-metre right-of-way.
Babatunde said the state would no longer tolerate habitation or commercial activity beneath high-tension power lines or in restricted zones, stressing that the practice endangers lives and property. He added that enforcement would be strengthened to ensure full compliance with planning regulations, safeguard infrastructure, and enhance public safety.
Speaking during the tour, Oki noted that the government had held multiple stakeholder meetings with residents of Makoko and other affected areas, warning them about the dangers of building directly under transmission cables and close to the Third Mainland Bridge.
“As far back as February this year, we gave them 14 days to vacate the area, but as you can see, they refused. They are even extending towards the middle of the Third Mainland Bridge. We have warned them several times; the next step is to take the bull by the horn,” Oki said.
He explained that during various engagements, the government made it clear that after repeated warnings, there would be no further notice before enforcement begins. He added that while the government continues to collaborate with community leaders, it must prioritise public safety.
“If any of those cables fall and anything happens, the blame will be on the government. The lives of the people are more important. They are also encroaching on the Third Mainland Bridge,” he said.
Oki also referenced similar enforcement carried out in Oworonshoki, which recently sparked protests and a temporary blockade of the Third Mainland Bridge.
He noted that residents in the affected area were given a three-year amnesty period to regularise their buildings, yet only two households complied.
