THE Lagos State Government says it has apprehended three persons for parading themselves as staff of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and illegally embarking on development control activities, thereby defrauding the unsuspecting public and causing mayhem.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, disclosed this on Wednesday in Alausa, Ikeja, adding that the impostors met their waterloo when they posed as a government demolition gang and illegally pulled down a disputed property in Ogombo, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the State.
He informed that a whistleblower called the attention of the Ministry to their illegal activities which led to their prompt arrest and handover to the Police for necessary prosecution, noting, however, that one Adeyemi Ajose, who is believed to be their mastermind, is still at large.
In his words: “The apprehension of the trio through the whistleblowing mechanism of the Ministry would send a strong signal to others about Government’s determination to rid the sector of all forms of illegality”.
Assuring that the full wrath of the law would be made to bear on those caught, Dr. Salako urged residents not to hesitate in performing their civic responsibilities of reporting suspicious activities, particularly in the built environment of Lagos State.
He enjoined members of the public to be wary of fraudsters and always ascertain the identity of anyone parading himself as a public official, reiterating that enforcement activities of the Ministry usually follow a standard procedure involving the service of statutory notices bearing the insignia of the State Government.
The Commissioner, therefore, urged Lagosians to report any observed infraction in the built environment directly to the Ministry or through the online avenues including the Lagos State MPP&UD App, which can be downloaded on Google Play or Apple store.
