SaharaReporters gathered that the agency had also threatened the school management with complete demolition.
Students of Saint Margaret Group of Schools in Ikorodu, Lagos were unable to resume academic work on Monday as the Lagos State Government has sealed the school following a partial demolition of the facility by the Lagos State Building Control Agency.
SaharaReporters gathered that the agency had also threatened the school management with complete demolition.
The school claimed that no notice was served to them before the demolition that took place while students were taking examinations in March, in the previous term.
A source privy to the development who spoke to SaharaReporters said the issue started after some unknown people who were later found out to be officials of the LASBCA entered the school and started taking pictures.
He said, “They got to the compound and were taking pictures, the security officers in the school asked them who they were and why they were taking pictures. They said, ‘Don't bother about where we are from,’ and that made the security guard challenge them more and try to take the phone from them.
“As they were dragging it, the security guard locked the school gate, saying they would not leave until they introduced themselves. Instead of introducing themselves, they called on the Lagos State task force for reinforcement.
“The task force got to the school in their convoy and started demolishing the school. They demolished a part of the school and the school has been locked down, put under seal.
“The concern of the school is that they have been to the Lagos State government, pleading for what they don’t even know. They have not stated their offence; they don't know why it was demolished and students are supposed to resume a new academic term.”
The Proprietor of the school, Pastor Olusegun Alonge, backed by the teachers, parents, staff members and the community during a protest, urged the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene and rescue the school from attack and further demolition by the LASBCA.
“We call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene and stop the Illegal demolitions of Saint Margaret Group of Schools. The invasion by the Lagos State Building Control Agency on March 27, 2024, has already damaged some of our structures and facilities,” he said.
The proprietor explained that one of the actions taken after the incident was visiting the office of the LASBCA's General Manager, Arc. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, but he failed to grant them an audience during the visit.
He added that during his subsequent visits some days later, he was escorted out by the same general manager with threats.
He said: “The general manager warned that he would instruct the building control agency to downgrade the school if precautions were not taken. He boasted that he had the support of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to carry out his activities.”
LASBCA Reacts
The agency claimed that its officials were attacked by the school security during an inspection visit to ascertain whether the renovation works done by the school complied with the regulatory provisions of the law.
Olusegun Olaoye, Director of Public Affairs of LASBCA, said that officials of LASBCA were detained for over three hours, assaulted and injured.
He said, “Upon getting to the gate of the school, officers of the agency introduced themselves to the security guard at the gate and requested to see a management officer of the school. The security guard went in and a man who is referred to as the ‘school administrator’ came with him.
“Before the school administrator came in, officers were having a video recording and pictorial evidence of the infraction within the premises from the gate. The school administrator (one Mr. Daniel Sunday) came with aggression and without listening to the officers started shouting, ‘What do you want! You are kidnappers! You are thieves,’ and calling them all sorts of unprintable names.
“He seized the phones from the four (4) officers and damaged one of the phones by smashing it on the floor.
“He ordered the security men and some teachers to drag the officers into one of the rooms and lock them up. All four officers were assaulted, injured and detained in the room and thereby they obstructed the officers from carrying out their lawful duties within the school premises.
“A video evidence of the assault and forced imprisonment was recorded and attached to this rejoinder.
“The driver that drove the officers to the site made a distress call to the head office and raised alarm over the forced imprisonment of officers by the school administrator and some other officers of the school.
“The general manager of the agency upon getting the report, directed the enforcement team who were on an assignment at Eti-Osa to go to the school to rescue the detained officers. The officers were detained for over three hours until the enforcement team came with police officers to rescue them around 4:30 pm.
“When the enforcement team came to the premises, the school administrator locked up everywhere and had organised members of staff of the school to attack the team.
“The policemen attached to the enforcement team had to arrest the school administrator and some of the school’s members of staff who attacked them and sealed off the school until issues are resolved.
“It should be noted that at no point during the visit to the school premises were the officials of the agency engaged in inappropriate behaviour or misconduct of any kind.
“The school administrator and those that were arrested were arraigned on the 28th March, 2024 before a Special Offences Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi for a five-count charge including assault, obstruction of public officers from carrying out their lawful duties and acts likely to cause breach of peace. The suspects were granted bail by the court.”