The Kwara State Government has ordered the immediate demolition of a dilapidated two-storey building in the Oke-Suna area of Ilorin East Local Government Area after declaring it structurally unsafe and a danger to residents.
The government, through the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency, also sealed the property following complaints from members of the community that the building was at risk of collapsing.
The directive was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the agency’s Press Secretary, Aliyu Amode, who said officials carried out an inspection after receiving reports from residents about the deteriorating condition of the structure.
During the inspection, an elderly resident informed officials that the community had repeatedly warned the owner about the building’s condition and urged remedial action, but the warnings were allegedly ignored.
Following the assessment, the General Manager of KWEPA, Jide Aina, described the building as a serious public safety threat and directed the owner to begin its demolition without delay.
“The condition of the building constitutes a grave danger to public safety. The owner is hereby directed to commence its immediate demolition,” Aina said.
He warned that the state government would take over the demolition if the owner failed to comply with the directive.
“Failure to comply with this directive will leave the Kwara State Government with no option but to demolish the structure in the interest of protecting lives and property,” he said.
Aina reaffirmed the government’s commitment to preventing avoidable disasters through strict enforcement of environmental and building safety regulations.
“The Kwara State Government remains committed to safeguarding residents through proactive environmental enforcement, strict compliance with safety regulations, and the timely removal of environmental hazards capable of causing avoidable tragedies,” he stated.
He also urged residents to continue reporting abandoned or distressed buildings and other environmental hazards to the agency for prompt intervention.
“We encourage residents across the state to continue supporting the government’s efforts by promptly reporting abandoned buildings, distressed structures, environmental nuisances and other environmental hazards to KWEPA for swift intervention,” Aina added.
