The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has issued a demolition order for a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) located in the Somolu area of the state.
This decision follows the collapse of an adjacent structure that was under construction, which severely impacted the church building.
The incident occurred on Monday while members of the church were gathered for a service. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, but the church building suffered extensive structural damage.
By Tuesday, LASBCA officials had affixed a final removal notice on the church premises. The notice read:
“This building has been declared distressed and must be removed within seven days.”
According to local residents, the construction of the collapsed building was unusually rapid.
“Right after demolishing the old structure, the new one was already rising within a few days,” said Pastor Daniel Ojo, leader of the affected RCCG parish. “Now, we’re left without a place of worship.”
Pastor Ojo expressed concern over the future of the congregation, explaining that relocating in a densely industrialised area like Somolu could fracture the close-knit church community.
“Moving far away could scatter our members. We’re more than a church — we’re a family,” he added.
Eyewitnesses reported that construction workers narrowly escaped the collapse.
“They were on the top floor when it gave way. They jumped down and fled. It’s a miracle no one died,” a local trader recounted.
Adekomi Adeniyi, a LASBCA official, confirmed that inspections were carried out and the church building was found to be unsafe, leaving demolition as the only viable option to prevent further danger.
Urban development experts continue to raise alarms over the trend of fast-tracked, poorly regulated construction projects in Lagos, citing the Somolu incident as yet another example of the risks posed to densely populated communities.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Government has not disclosed whether the developers of the collapsed building will face penalties or prosecution.
