In recent times, the media has been awash with the heartbreaking news of how collapsed buildings have trapped and killed hundreds of people in different parts of Nigeria, particularly in Lagos.

The few survivors from those collapsed buildings incidents, who escaped by the whiskers, were in most cases maimed for life.

Reports which emanated from government authorities in the affected states indicated that some of those buildings did not have approved building plans, and in some cases where they had approved building plans, the developers did not comply strictly with the specifications in the approved plans.

Developers, occupants, and squatters who violated public policies by staying in unauthorized places also had their own share of misfortune, and some did not live to tell their stories.

It is therefore appalling and worrisome that some people deliberately engage in precarious behaviour in defiance of policies of the Government.


It is unimaginable that some people blatantly work at cross-purposes with constituted authorities. For the umpteenth time, Edo State Government has sounded notes of warnings to people who built houses or constructed business structures under high tensions electric cables to relocate from these areas for their own safety.


In the same way, the State Government through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has enjoined developers who erected illegal structures in different parts of the State to remove them without delay.

To this end, the State Government served several notices and a series of warnings to landowners and occupants of the unapproved property and illegal structures erected in unauthorized places in the State.

After seeing the red flag raised by the State Government for the past two years, these landowners and occupants of these illegal structures still refused to heed the warnings to vacate from these red spots for their own good.

The unwarranted resistance and flagrant disregard for Government’s policies smack of irresponsibility on the part of land developers and squatters on illegal structures.

With the expiration of the notices served on these land developers and occupants, the State Government is now left with no choice, but to enforce the removal of the illegal structures in line with the State Government’s urban renewal drive.

Apart from the fact that illegal structures are erected in areas without authorization, these illegal structures do not have appropriate building plan approvals. This is tantamount to double violations of Government’s regulations.

There is no doubt that people cannot continue to do things in the same wrong way and expect better results.


The refusal by landowners and occupants to relocate from the designated unapproved structures has now prompted the State Government to embark on the demolition of illegal structures constructed under high tension cables and other unauthorized places in the Benin metropolis.


This exercise is aimed at removing structures by illegal developers and squatters who live or trade-in unauthorized locations such as under the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) High Tension Lines.

The State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ms. Omo Isoken, recently revealed that the State Government had given such defaulters ample time to move from the locations, instead, many began to build permanent structures under power lines.

Without any iota of doubt, the State Government owes Edo people the duty to maintain and keep the environment safe and habitable for everyone. Certainly, the State is not expected to condone this reprehensible behaviour.

Therefore, it can only be considered unthinkable and irresponsible for people to brazenly stay in illegal structures in unauthorized places without considering the consequences. People who stay under TCN’s high tension cables are exposed to multiple hazards.

The electromagnetic waves that are consistently radiated from the high tension cables pose a serious hazard to human health. Similarly, if any of the cables were cut off during stormy weather, any person or persons within the vicinity of the high tension cables would be caught up with untimely death. In a nutshell, it is very unsafe and unhealthy for anyone to stay near high tension cables.

It suffices to say then that people who choose to do wrong things should not wail when Government begins enforcement of appropriate sanctions.


It is common knowledge that if Government fails to enforce compliance, and misfortune happens to befall a violator, people including these defaulters would turn around to blame Government for not carrying out its job, and for allowing the situation to degenerate to that level.


There is a saying in Chinua Achebe’s “Arrow of God” that “a man who brings home ant-infested gays should not complain if he is visited by lizards.” Consequently, those who run foul of the Government’s policies and regulations should be prepared to face the wrath of the law.

Over the years, some people have been building illegal structures in unauthorized places in Benin City and different parts of the State without being challenged by Government authorities.

The fact that these defaulters were not confronted by previous administrations does not justify the illegality. As we all know, anything that is built on a wrong foundation cannot stand, and that is the fate of illegal structures in Edo State.

Edo State is developing a 30-year Development Plan (2021 – 2050), The reason we now appeal to Edo people is to ignore the complicity of past administrations and key into the State’s current urban renewal drive.

The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has been working relentlessly to create modern cities in Edo through its urban renewal drive.

This is an initiative everyone should embrace and support for the common good of the people. Edo cannot become great if the people choose to do things haphazardly and disregard Government’s policies and regulations.

The noble thing Edo people should do is to encourage the Government by complying with established regulations. By so doing, both the people and the State Government will become partners in the task of making Edo great again (MEGA).

Edo no b imo .
Abeg let ESN continue the burning na, what happened.
Abi as una fail 4 anambra una moral do die?
Come back and finish what you started wooo