The Lagos State Government has ramped up enforcement against estates operating without approved layout plans and building permits, through its Office of Physical Planning.
Enforcement teams visited several estates in the Lekki axis on Thursday, including Victoria Nest, Vistaview Estate, Empire Homes, JadeView Estate, BlessedView Homes, and Micrian Villa Estate, among others, over alleged violations of building regulations.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, said the exercise—led by the Director of Development Matters, Hakeem Animashaun—targeted estates previously cautioned for non-compliance.
He reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy on unauthorised developments and called on developers to secure necessary approvals before commencing construction.
“We will continue to enforce compliance across the state. Developers must prioritise obtaining layout approvals and building permits to avoid sealing and other penalties,” Olumide said.
The commissioner noted that the operation is part of broader efforts to promote orderly urban development, protect infrastructure, and ensure sustainable growth in rapidly expanding corridors like Lekki-Ajah.
He added that similar enforcement exercises would be extended to other parts of the state to strengthen compliance and uphold planning standards.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
