Following the recent demolition of property in the luxurious Signature Villa Estate, Lekki, Lagos, Spaces for Change (S4C) has called on the Lagos State Government to take an immediate steps to address corruption within its ranks and ensure strict enforcement of environmental and building standards.
The Civil Society Organisation (CSO) also urged Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) to thoroughly investigate into the immediate and remote causes of this demolition case and hold their members implicated in the demolition accountable for their actions that resulted in the loss of homes and properties.
On October 12, 2023, Lagos government demolished more than 25 completed terraced buildings and various structures along the Ikota drainage channel.
Executive Director of S4C, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, said: “One of the pressing concerns raised by this unfortunate incident is the apparent lapse in oversight by regulatory bodies, such as the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), which allowed building structures such as Signature Villa Estate to be constructed in violation of regulations.”
Lamenting beside the ruins of his former home, a victim of the demolition said: “We are suffering for the sins we know nothing about.”
According to her, amid tears, confusion and despondency, other victims took S4C round the demolished areas, narrating their surreal journey from shelter to homelessness.
Witness accounts and testimonies from the victims themselves suggest that the developers and marketers of the properties failed to conduct transactions in good faith, leading to the devastating consequences.
Ibezim-Ohaeri added: “Additionally, our investigations have unveiled considerable lapses in basic due diligence processes. Many buyers failed to conduct due diligence on the property acquisitions and neglected to secure the necessary documentation, leaving them vulnerable to losses.”
S4C and Communities Alliance against Displacement (CAD) undertook a fact-finding mission to the estate within Ikota Villa Estate, Lekki, on October 18, 2023 to uncover the root of the matter.
They advised prospective property buyers and homeowners to exercise caution and conduct due diligence before finalising property transactions to save themselves from potential financial losses.
