Gani Fawehinmi’s Family Raises Alarm Over ‘Illegal Structure’ In Lagos Threatening Widow’s Safety

The family of the late legal icon and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, has raised the alarm over a new multi-storey structure allegedly built in violation of planning regulations directly beside the family home in Ikeja GRA, Lagos State.

The building, identified simply as APARTMENT, is said to be constructed without adequate setbacks and appears to rest on the fence of Fawehinmi’s residence at No. 9 Ademola Close, off Fani Kayode Street.

The widow of the late legal luminary, Fawehinmi, expressed serious concerns about the proximity of the building, which she says not only invades their privacy but also compromises the security of the residence.

The family insists that the construction lacks the necessary legal approvals and violates established town planning regulations, including the minimum setback required between residential properties.

“The building, directly overlooking the the family’s compound with its attendant security compromise, is giving the widow serious concerns.

“The building obviously lacks requisite legal approval, with no setbacks. For such a building to be sited in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, raises serious concerns.”

“This is not just about our privacy; it is about the law,” said one of the visiting associates. GRA, Ikeja, is supposed to be a regulated and orderly environment. What we are seeing here is a gross abuse of building standards.”

They are now calling on the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and other relevant agencies to urgently investigate the development and take appropriate action.

The Fawehinmi family is urging Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, to step in and restore the rule of law in the matter.

Chief Fawehinmi, who died in 2009, was a towering figure in Nigerian law and activism. His widow, now elderly, has been residing in the family home, which has become a landmark in the Ikeja GRA neighborhood. (SaharaReporters)