Feb. 14, 2022

The Lagos State Government has directed that the developer of the three-story building that collapsed in Onike yesterday during construction be prosecuted.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday evening that the Lagos State Building Control Agency had been mandated to liaise with the police in order to proceed to Court and press charges against the developer, who has been held for violating the State’s Physical Planning laws.

“The Government regrets the needless loss of lives and property due to his unlawful conduct and antics of defying stop-work orders as well as evading supervision. It is hoped that his prosecution will send a strong warning to all recalcitrant developers that it is mandatory to Build Right and engage professionals in constructing buildings in Lagos State, as we will not hesitate to bring to book whoever errs against the law”.

Meanwhile, excavation of the site by emergency responders, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), is still ongoing and will continue until the site is levelled to ground zero.