The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has warned residents of Makoko community to vacate buildings erected directly beneath high-tension power lines, citing the extreme risks of electrocution, fire outbreaks, and structural hazards.
Mr. Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, issued the warning while briefing journalists on recent enforcement exercises. He stressed that the presence of such structures violates physical planning laws and undermines Lagos State’s broader urban planning and environmental safety goals.
“Makoko has become a high-risk zone because of electricity cables running directly over homes and businesses,” Oki said. “The high-tension lines transmit electricity at extremely high voltages, and being too close to them poses a grave threat to human life.”
He explained that LASBCA has engaged extensively with stakeholders, including traditional rulers and community leaders, all of whom agreed that residents living under the power lines must relocate.
Oki added that government action could no longer be delayed, noting that “the lives of citizens are more important than economic activities in the area.” He cautioned that enforcement would soon commence, despite resistance from some residents who believed politics would shield them from eviction.
To demonstrate transparency, a three-minute video of one of the stakeholder meetings was shown to journalists during the briefing.
“The next time you see us in Makoko, some people will claim the government acted suddenly. That is why we are showing evidence of prior engagements before taking action,” Oki said.
He urged the media to help in sensitising residents, pointing out that while some countries have organised waterfront communities, none are located beneath high-tension power lines.
The warning comes after the government’s 2024 Building Permit Amnesty Programme, which allowed owners of unapproved buildings to regularise their structures. With over 18,000 applications submitted and 8,856 permits issued, the state has since intensified removal of unsafe and illegal structures, beginning in Oworonshoki and now extending to Makoko.