The prosecution of suspects linked to the collapse of a five-storey building on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Lekki, Lagos which caused the death of 30 persons is set to commence.
A statement signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, yesterday stated that the government has concluded all legal preparations to prosecute the nine suspects deemed culpable in the building’s collapse.
The statement read in part: “Following the conclusion of investigation by the Nigeria Police Force and technical reports of relevant experts, the Office of the Attorney-General has concluded its Legal Advice and decided to prosecute the suspects for failure to obtain Planning Permit contrary to the provisions of the State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, and Involuntary Manslaughter contrary to the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 respectively”.
It reiterated the commitment of the present administration to protecting the lives and property of its citizens and assured the general public that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that criminal negligence and any form ofcrime is duly brought to book.
Meantime, the state government yesterday disclosed that no fewer than 2,300 buildings were constructed in the last one year across the state, even as it warned estate developers against erection of structures without approved plan permit.
General Manager of Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) Mr. Remi Oni-Orisan, who gave the statistics, said that the number represented property owners who seek for building approval from January, 2016 till date.
He argued that the government understands that the number of structures erected within the period under review was more than the number of applications received by the agency, saying “about 10,000 structures must have been erected within the year.”
