The Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, has advised residents of the Makoko community to vacate buildings situated directly beneath high-tension power lines to avoid the dangers of electrocution, fire outbreaks and structural hazards.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, issued the warning in Lagos while briefing journalists yesterday on recent enforcement exercises.
According to Oki, structures erected under power lines not only breach physical planning regulations but also undermine the state’s long-term goals of urban safety and environmental sustainability.
He explained that LASBCA has engaged stakeholders, including traditional rulers and community leaders, to highlight the risks and secure their cooperation. A video of one such meeting was shown to journalists, with Oki noting that community leaders themselves acknowledged the need for residents to vacate.
Oki cautioned against politicising the enforcement process, revealing that some residents had resisted compliance in the belief that political considerations would halt government action.
He urged the media to help sensitise the public, pointing out that while waterfront living exists in other countries, it is done in an organised and safe manner—not beneath power lines.
The state government, he said, remains committed to safeguarding lives, improving the environment, and enforcing urban planning laws. The government has begun clearing unsafe structures, starting with Oworonshoki, and has signalled that Makoko will face similar enforcement to protect lives and restore order.
Punch/Deborah Olayiwola.
