Maryland Residents served Notices before Demolition – Lagos State Govt

Lagos State Government, through the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said that property owners whose buildings hindered the flow of drainage in Mende, at Maryland environs, were served notices before demolition from the system 1 Drainage Right of Way.

The Commissioner, Wahab, disclosed this during his interview appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, stating,

The structures were removed to avoid the flooding of the whole of the Mainland.

While the interviewer asked questions regarding the ‘requisite notices’ not being served, Commissioner Wahab responded, stating the residents had met with government representatives before demolition.

They claimed they were not served notices. They were served. They had come for meetings several times. The residents’ association had met with the Permanent Secretary, Engr Mahmood Adekunle Adegbite, several times in my office. So, on what basis were they having meetings if they were not served? Wahab responded.

He further states,

The first notices were served on them in 2021. Each property owner on Systems 1 was duly written to remove their encumbrances because they were sitting on Systems 1. That led to engagements with my predecessor in office, Mr Tunji Bello.

Also, on assumption of office last year, his administration wrote the residents because “these properties were sitting on Systems 1 Right of Way, that is Odo Iya Alaro Right of Way,” he reiterated.

Towards the end of the interview, Commissioner Wahab further stated that some decisions are painful, but harsh choices must be taken to govern well.

He was, however, mute about possible compensation for residents of the affected buildings in Mende, Maryland environs.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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