•By Halimah Olamide
The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Arch. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki has condemned the attacks on its officials, stating that the hooliganism would not be a barrier to carrying out its duties.
Oki expressed his dissatisfaction while reacting to the recent arracks carried out on some its operatives by unidentified hoodlums.
He noted that they were armed with dangerous weapons and charms during a routine monitoring exercise along Musical Village, Awolowo Road, Ikorodu Area of Lagos.
The general managed further stood on his ground that that no amount of intimidation or harassment will make the agency go back on its mandate to ensure safe and secure buildings across the State.
“These assailants not only obstruct our staff but also hold them hostage for hours, these acts of hooliganism will not deter us from carrying out our duties”, he said.
In his words, “Thankfully, we managed to overcome these attacks without any casualties. Our staff’s resilience and quick responses have played a crucial role in overpowering the assailants and preventing more severe consequences.
“These are the kinds of challenges we face daily in our bid to ensure that buildings in the State are safe and fit for habilitation”.
He has however urged the general public to cooperate and support the agency in its mission to curb the menace of building collapses across the state, noting that incidents of harassment and attacks tend to jeopardise the Agency monitoring activities and can potentially pose significant threats to the public.
Reiterating the dedication of the agency to maintaining and enforcing building standards in Lagos State even in the face of threats and attacks, Oki urged the citizens to cooperate in ensuring the safety and integrity of structures that will foster a secure environment for all.
He pointed out that the assailant has since been handed over to security operatives for prosecution.