ONIKE BUILDING COLLAPSE: LASG SET TO CHARGE DEVELOPER FOR NEGLIGENCE 

The Lagos State Government has declared its readiness to charge a Developer, identified as Engr. Gboyega Bello, for negligence on the avoidable collapse of a building under construction at 16, Akanbi Street, Onike, Yaba in February 2022.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako made this known during a review meeting in Alausa on Tuesday.

According to him, the Developer was culpable for disregarding due process stipulated for building construction in Lagos State, having commenced construction without Planning Permit and Authorisation from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), in addition to non-insurance of the building as required by law and ignoring contravention, stop-work and seal up notices served by the Agency. In his words: “The owner of the building obtained Planning Permit well after commencing construction while he also failed to submit the structure for stage-by-stage inspection and certification, being the statutory methodology to ensure that the Developer builds right”. “The Developer also deceived the authorities by feigning compliance as he momentarily left the site only to return surreptitiously, break Government Seal on the property and continued with the construction”, he added. The Commissioner averred that subsequent upon its enforcement action and relying on experience, LASBCA made the Engineer, who is presently being held by the Police, issue a letter in which he assured of the stability of the building and indemnified the authority of error, design fault or omission resulting in any structural failure.

Salako maintained that the case would be seen to a logical conclusion in order to serve as deterrent to all recalcitrant property owners and developers, adding that Government is still on the lookout for the supposed owner of the building who has been identified as Mr. Sodeinde Olumuyiwa Soyode.