The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), led by General Manager Gbolahan Oki, issued a final 30-day notice on Tuesday to owners and occupants of residential structures unlawfully transformed into religious houses, clubs, lounges, and bars without proper approval for change of use.
Oki emphasized that this action is in response to the distortion of the state master plan, particularly in residential areas, where individuals have, in blatant disregard of regulatory provisions, converted homes into club houses and worship centers, causing environmental nuisances.
The decision to issue removal notices stems from both security concerns and repeated complaints about non-compliance with safety and security guidelines by club owners.
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Oki urged owners to evict occupants of such unlawfully converted buildings within the stipulated 30 days, cautioning that the state will proceed with outright removal at the owners’ expense without further notice.
“We are giving them one month’s final notice from today, 29th of January, to revert all properties converted to churches, mosques, clubs, and bars to their original plan or face the removal of such buildings at their expense,” warned Oki, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining the city’s integrity.
Despite LASBCA’s prior identification of non-conforming structures and service of statutory enforcement notices, many affected parties have failed or refused to respond.
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Oki stressed the importance of property owners taking the notice seriously, as the state remains resolute in its efforts to sanitize and uphold the vision of Lagos as Africa’s model mega city under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
