The Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG) has accused the Lagos State government of committing injustice by demolishing houses in the state, punishing owners while sparing corrupt officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA). The group wrote an open letter to Governor Sanwo-Olu, titled “Demolition of Buildings: Punishing Building Owners and Sparing Corrupt LASBCA Officials Reflect Injustice,” stating that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria declares that “the state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of office.” The letter also highlighted the United Nations Convention against corruption, which condemns betrayal of public trust.
The group criticized the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Nigerian Institute of Building, and Shelter Rights Project for their lack of transparency and corruption. They argued that law and order are sacrosanct in organized societies, and that building plan approval is a prerequisite for building construction. They also criticized the LASBCA’s system of monitoring, which allows buildings to be marked in red X and enforces stop work orders when contraventions are discovered.
The group also criticised the recent elevation of corrupt LASBCA officials to the Executive Council of the Nigerian Institute of Building in Lagos State. They questioned why LASBCA officials responsible for violations are often redeployed to the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure or Ministry of Housing, arguing that these ministries should not be turned into garbage by corrupt officials.
The group called on the Lagos State government to preserve hardworking and sincere LASBCA officials and ensure equal justice prevails.
