The Lagos State Government has denied authorising the recent demolition of structures in FESTAC Town, saying it was not involved in the exercise.
The clarification was contained in a statement signed by Mukaila Sanusi, Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, on October 14, 2025.
The statement noted that the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, made the clarification in Alausa, where he emphasised that the state government had no role in the demolitions recently carried out in the area.
Olumide explained that Lagos State maintains a clear and transparent procedure for any authorised demolition, which includes the issuance of statutory notices and engagement with affected stakeholders before any structure is removed.
“The Lagos State Government has denied any involvement in the recent demolition of structures in FESTAC Town. Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide made this clarification on Tuesday in Alausa. He explained that, contrary to speculation, the State Government had no role in the demolitions carried out in the area,” the statement read in part.
The clarification came amid public speculation linking the Lagos State Government to the recent demolition of buildings in FESTAC Town, an area administered by the Federal Housing Authority.
Olumide said the state government had no role in the exercise and maintained that any demolition not backed by due process did not represent the government’s position.
He added that agencies operating within Lagos, including federal bodies, should obtain clearance from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development before carrying out demolition activities to prevent conflict and misinformation.
What you should know
While the Lagos State Government denied involvement in the FESTAC Town demolitions, it recently authorised demolition exercises at the Trade Fair Complex after identifying several unapproved and unsafe structures that posed public safety risks.
The government said the affected buildings lacked valid planning permits and described as misleading the claims by Peter Obi that traders had obtained necessary approvals.
It added that developers were given multiple opportunities under previous amnesty programmes to regularise their structures but failed to comply.
- The state also clarified that the Trade Fair Complex Management Board has no authority to approve building construction, citing a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that affirmed Lagos’ jurisdiction over physical planning and development control, even on federal lands, except in core federal enclaves.
In a related effort, the government has directed attention to properties on illegal reclamation sites across the state, announcing that removal of such structures will begin on October 15 to prevent flooding caused by buildings obstructing natural waterways and drainage channels.
