Tenants Stay-Put At Sinking House

Tenants occupying a sinking storey building located at 5, Chief Bereola Street, Surulere, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, have refused to pack out of the building which was marked for demolition by the Lagos State government.

The state government under its agency, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, ordered the tenants to move out of the house after fire gutted the building for the second time, but they declined, even at the risk of their lives.

The last fire incident, P.M.NEWS gathered, greatly compromised the integrity of the building and during an inspection by officials of LASBCA after the fire incident, they discovered that it was built near a canal and it was already sinking.

In view of the danger the defective building popses to the occupants, the LASBCA officials ordered the tenants to pack out immediately.

The building was sealed and the officials pasted the sealed order on the gate of the building.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the tenants complied initially and moved out with their families before LASBCA sealed it and marked it for demolition.

However, after a little while, some time tenants returned to the house without any repair or reconstruction of the building.

The residents wondered what might have happened that made some of the tenants to return to the  house.

According to a resident who pleaded for anonymity, “we are concerned because of the danger the building poses to the occupants and the likely disaster that could happen if they continue living there.”

When P.M.NEWS visited the house in  Sururere Monday, our reporter confirmed that tenants are still living in  the house.

They locked the gate inside, while the LASBCA sticker was removed. Only the paint used to mark the building for demolition was still visible.

Efforts to speak with a female tenant proved abortive as she declined to speak with reporter.

When P.M.NEWS  visited the General Manager  LASBCA, Mrs. Are Animashaun, on the latest development, workers at the agency said she was not around.

An official of LASBCA confirmed that the house was sealed off but could not say why the tenants returned to occupy it.  He also confirmed that LASBCA wrote to the tenants asking them to vacate the place. The letter was signed by  Alaka John Olufemi on behalf of the general manager.

“We will find out your claim and report to the General Manager the development,” he told our reporter.

—Cyriacus Izuekwe