Lagos Govt Warns Oworonshoki Landlords to Regularize Properties in Two Months or Face Demolition

In a critical move to reclaim government-reserved land, the Lagos State Government has issued a two-month ultimatum to property owners in the Oko-Cole area of Oworonshoki, directing them to secure valid building approvals or risk having their structures demolished. The stern warning was delivered on Monday by Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary of the Office of Urban Development, during a meeting with affected landlords in his office.

Oki emphasized that the land in question had already been acquired and earmarked by the state for a housing scheme, accusing the landlords of constructing buildings without proper authorization. He placed blame on unauthorized land dealers—commonly referred to as “omo onile”—for illegally selling the government-reserved plots and criticized the property owners for failing to conduct due diligence with relevant ministries and agencies before purchasing and developing the land.

“The Lagos State government does not enjoy destroying property because we want everyone to own property, but we don’t want anything that will cause embarrassment to the government,” Oki stated. He clarified that while the state is committed to supporting property ownership, it cannot permit encroachment on publicly designated land.

The meeting follows months of large-scale demolition exercises across Oworonshoki, which began in September as part of what the government describes as an urban regeneration initiative. These operations have sparked unrest and protests from displaced residents, though officials maintain that the removed structures lacked proper approval.

Oki acknowledged that many of the buildings in Oko-Cole are well-constructed, but stressed that their placement has obstructed the original allottees of the housing scheme from accessing the land. “There is a difference between free land and a scheme, but you have built on the scheme. We want you to go and do the needful,” he said.

He further explained that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has granted the affected landlords a final opportunity to regularize their documents. “We are allowing you to go and do the needful in the next two months,” Oki noted. “We don’t want to remove the buildings there because they are of standard, but you must go to the relevant ministries and do your documentation.”

Property owners have been advised to engage with the Ministry of Physical Planning and the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development to complete the necessary paperwork and comply with state requirements.

The government also noted that it has previously compensated some property owners whose documents were verified, reinforcing its commitment to lawful and organized urban development.

Officials urge all residents and investors to verify land status with appropriate authorities before undertaking any development to avoid future losses and conflicts.