Lagos govt orders evacuation of police barracks

Concerns over an impending structure collapse at Mopol 20 Barracks, Onigbongbo in the Ikeja neighbourhood of the state have been voiced by the Lagos State Government. 

Source

This is happening just before the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency is about to start an emergency evacuation from the barracks' old block 3. 

The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said in a statement released on Wednesday that the organization's reaction team had evaluated certain structural elements and discovered that they were in a dangerous situation. In order to prevent any loss of life or damage, Oke-Osanyintolu declared that the building and any nearby structures would also be evacuated right away.

“The Agency dispatched a response team to the location and the findings indicate that the building and those adjacent must be evacuated with immediate effect. We are conducting a response plan which comprises an assessment, safe and orderly evacuation and controlled demolition.

“Under the watchful eye of the Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu administration, we will be carrying out this preemptive demolition action due to the precarious conditions of the building and possible secondary incidents that could occur if left unmanaged,” the statement partly read.

On the other hand, he asked local residents to maintain their composure and abstain from disseminating false information on social media. 

Additionally, he gave his word that the matter was being carefully watched over and handled. Some police barracks in the state were undergoing extensive renovations, according to a July statement from the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi. 

He said that the state government would work with them to complete the renovations.