Lagos State government has warned residents and traders around Oluwole market and adjoining streets, Lagos Island to stay 50metres away from the burnt 21 storey Great Nigeria Insurance, GNI, building for their safety.
The government also warned that disobeying the directive will be termed a criminal offence and anyone who violates the warning will be arrested and prosecuted.
The warning was given when a team from the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, led by its General Manager, Gbaye Florence and the Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Arch. Gbolahan Oki inspected the scene of the incident.
Others on the team were the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, officers from the Lagos State Fire Services and the Manager, Neighborhood Service Corps.
According to the LASBCA Manager, Gbaye, the government has a responsibility to protect everyone noting that all the buildings within the 50metres radius have been sealed and will not be reopened until deconstruction of the GNI building.
She urged Lagosians and traders within the affected areas to comply with the 50metres radius.
“It’s better to be safe than to be sorry. LASBCA will seal all the buildings within the 50metres radius because the government has a responsibility to protect everyone. We urge all Lagosians to comply with the 50metres radius,”Gbaye said.
The Permanent Secretary Office of Urban Development, Arch Gbolahan Oki said all relevant agencies have been working together to ensure other affected buildings do not collapse on the people which is the reason for the enforcement of the 50metres radius.
Dr Olajide Abiodun said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has put in place a special taskforce to look into the deconstruction of the GNI building.
“The work of removing affected buildings has commenced. We have removed everyone within the 50metres radius. The governor has given us all the support we need. . We are using the CDAs and the neighborhood to ensure nobody is found within a 50metres radius of the building.
On when normalcy will return to the scene, Olajide said a team of experts are already discussing with the government on when the deconstruction of the building will start and end. He also called on property owners to ensure their buildings are insured in case of fire incidents.
“We will continue to reduce the radius as we continue the deconstruction,”
Murisiq Alade who represented the Oluwole Community Development Association and other CDAs within the area promised to comply with the government directives.
Bolaji Shokoya, who represented the Neighborhood Service Corps called for the cooperation of the CDAs to ensure the safety of the people within the area by keeping the 50metres radius.