Ikola Clash: Lagos Demolishes Structures Under High-Tension Power Lines

The Lagos State Government has intensified safety operations in Ikola following recent communal tensions, demolishing structures built beneath high-tension electricity lines.

The government said the exercise aims to protect residents from the dangers of electrocution, fire outbreaks and possible building collapses.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) carried out the operation in collaboration with the Lagos State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

The authorities said they discovered extensive informal settlements within the high-voltage power-line corridor and moved to clear the area because the structures violated the statutory right-of-way for electricity infrastructure.

In a statement signed by LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency said the operation was not directed at any ethnic group or community.

Instead, it described the intervention as a response to a “dangerous structural reality” that puts residents living within the restricted corridor at risk.

LASEMA said it gave affected residents adequate notice and enough time to evacuate and remove their belongings before the demolition began.

The agency described the exercise as a “coordinated, humane, and orderly intervention” and deployed heavy recovery equipment to remove the structures and restore the power-line corridor.

“All officers and personnel involved in the operation are safe, and the situation remains calm and under control,” the statement said.

The state government linked the operation to the recent clash between Hausa and Yoruba residents in Ikola, saying the incident highlighted broader public safety concerns in the community.

It said residents have the right to shelter and earn a living but stressed that these rights must be balanced with the need to prevent avoidable loss of life.

“No development is sustainable where it is built on avoidable risk,” the government said.

The Lagos government also said it would continue discussions with community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Ikola and other parts of the state.

It said the engagement would promote peaceful coexistence, enforce urban planning regulations and educate residents about safe and approved areas for settlement.

Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents to stop constructing buildings under power lines, gas pipelines and other restricted corridors.

He also advised residents to consult the relevant authorities and obtain proper guidance before starting construction.

The state government said the operation forms part of its wider effort to create a safer and more orderly Lagos while protecting residents and enforcing existing regulations.