The Lagos State Government has ordered the demolition of the Article Shopping Complex in Satellite Town and issued a 14-day ultimatum to owners of distressed buildings in Agric and Coker markets in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area to conduct structural integrity tests.

The directive followed an enforcement exercise carried out on Thursday by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) after inspections of the Article Shopping Complex in Oriade Local Council Development Area and the Agric and Coker markets in the Odun-Ade area.

Officials stated that the inspections revealed widespread structural defects in several commercial buildings, raising fresh concerns over the safety of traders and other occupants.

Speaking during the exercise, the Director of Quality Control and Post-Construction at LASBCA’s Badagry Division, Kolawole Williams, stressed that the state government would continue to enforce building safety regulations to prevent further incidents of building collapse.

“The Lagos State Government is determined to minimise the incidence of building collapse in the state. We will continue to enforce building standards because the safety of Lagosians remains our priority,” Mr Williams said.

He explained that occupants of the Article Shopping Complex would be evacuated before the structure is demolished, adding that an office building under construction on the already distressed complex was demolished during the operation.

According to him, the shopping complex had previously been marked for demolition and is located a short distance from the three-storey building that collapsed last week, killing nine people.

Mr Williams said inspections showed that about 90 per cent of the buildings assessed across the affected markets exhibited varying degrees of structural distress.

At the Agric Market, officials inspected 10 three-storey commercial blocks, many of which remained occupied despite signs of deterioration.

He noted that the buildings had been marked as distressed by LASBCA on 29 January 2026, but traders dealing in building materials were still carrying out commercial activities within the premises.

The enforcement team also inspected 12 three-storey commercial buildings at the Coker Market, where several structures had suffered partial structural failure but continued to accommodate business activities.

Market leaders informed officials that repairs were being carried out on some of the affected buildings. However, the agency rejected the explanation, insisting that repairs could not replace a professional structural integrity assessment.

Mr Williams stated that owners of the affected buildings in Agric and Coker markets had been given 14 days to conduct integrity tests and submit the results to the agency for evaluation.

“Integrity tests will determine the structural condition of these buildings before the government decides the next line of action,” he said.

He warned that owners who fail to comply with the directive or disregard government safety regulations would face prosecution.

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“We have district officers and personnel monitoring buildings across the state. Anyone who violates safety directives will be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he added.

Background

The demolition order comes barely a week after a three-storey building collapsed in the Oriade area of Satellite Town, killing nine people and leaving several others injured. The incident renewed concerns over compliance with building regulations and prompted fresh inspections of commercial and residential structures considered unsafe.

In recent months, the Lagos State Government has stepped up enforcement through LASBCA, repeatedly warning property owners against occupying or developing buildings found to be structurally distressed. Authorities have maintained that owners who ignore safety directives risk prosecution, while buildings deemed unsafe may be sealed or demolished to protect lives.

Lagos Government Orders Demolition of Shopping Complex for Safety Reasons

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