Falana, others raise the alerm over threat to Fawehinmi’s house in Lagos

FEMI FALANA

Human rights advocates including Femi Falana, Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade; Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Edetaen Ojo and others have lamented the imminent danger facing the family of the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Falana said, Gani’s family members are being threatened by a developer that erected a four-storey hotel right by the fence protecting the front part of Chief’s house within Ikeja GRA.

Falana said, “An individual or group of individuals, either acting in utter contempt of the rules and regulations guiding property development in Lagos State or acting in connivance with unscrupulous government officials, have decided to erect a four-storey hotel right by the fence protecting the front part of Fawehinmi’s house in Ikeja GRA.

“So brazen were the dare-devil builders or developers that they ignored family warnings and chose to build their structure almost on top of Fawehinmi’s fence. It is possible that they believe they are above the law. Or perhaps, they bear some grudge against him and his family and therefore do not see anything wrong in their brazen act of recklessness and injustice.

“But, whoever they think they are and whatever their motive, our stance is that this injustice should not, cannot and must not be allowed to stand.”

Falana noted that besides the fence protecting Fawehinmi’s house facing imminent collapse, a 1000-litre capacity water tank installed right on top of the 4-storey structure has thrice collapsed and fallen into Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s compound.

“We are fortunate that no one has so far been hurt or killed as a result of these incidents. But these repeated incidents themselves show without doubt how dangerously close this structure is to Fawehinmi’s house.

“We do not want to wait until any such catastrophe occurs before taking action. We have, therefore, chosen to speak out now before deadlier incidents occur,” he added.

The group demanded that the building should be pulled down, alleging that the construction violates Lagos State urban development and building regulations, particularly with regards to the mandatory setback requirement of at least three-meter space in-between buildings.