Lagos State Government has demolished the high value car showroom of influencer and auto dealer Ola of Lagos in Ikeja allegedly for building under high tension lines Here are the full details public reactions and what happens next .
Background
On Saturday October 11 2025 the Lagos State Government demolished the car showroom owned by popular influencer and auto dealer Ola of Lagos whose real name is Waris Olayinka Akinwande The facility known as OOL Autos was located in Ikeja and was reportedly worth several millions of naira .
While the government has not released an official statement explaining the reason behind the demolition several reports suggest that the building was constructed directly under a high tension power line which violates Nigerias safety and urban planning laws This has been a recurring issue across Lagos where authorities have continued to enforce regulations against illegal structures that pose risks to public safety .
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The Demolition What Happened
The demolition first became public through a viral TikTok video shared by another car dealer identified as Ibilo The video showed the remains of the demolished structure with the caption Lagos State Government demolishes OOL Autos heavy one today .
Eyewitnesses reported that the demolition was part of a broader exercise in which several other illegal buildings across Lagos were also pulled down on the same day It was said that regulatory officers arrived with monitoring teams and journalists to supervise the process a common practice in government enforcement operations .
As of now there has been no confirmation of whether the authorities issued prior notice or warning before the demolition was carried out .
Alleged Violations and Public Speculations
Although the government has yet to officially confirm the specific reason for the demolition many Lagos residents and social media users believe it was due to the car lot being located under a high tension power line Some users online argued that the area had been unsafe from the start and that it was only a matter of time before the authorities intervened Others felt the government should have given a relocation order or provided an alternative rather than destroying such an expensive structure .
Several commentators also questioned why it took nearly nine months for the authorities to act on a clearly visible violation Many pointed out that buildings under high tension lines pose severe risks including electrocution and fire hazards and therefore must be removed to protect lives and property .
Ola of Lagos Speaks
After the demolition Ola of Lagos took to his Instagram stories to address the situation Despite the setback he maintained a positive attitude and thanked his supporters for their concern He assured fans and customers that his business would continue to operate and announced plans to build a new and improved showroom .
He wrote that OOL Autos new showroom would be bigger and better and encouraged customers to keep patronizing his business through phone or WhatsApp orders while construction of the new office begins Ola of Lagos also expressed that although the experience was painful he remained grateful and optimistic saying that he had experienced losses before and would come back stronger His message of resilience was met with encouragement from followers and fellow business owners who praised his calm response .
Public Reaction and Broader Concerns
The incident sparked widespread reactions on social media and across news platforms Some people criticized the government for waiting too long before taking action on what they saw as an obvious violation while others argued that rules must apply equally to everyone regardless of influence or popularity .
Many citizens agreed that safety should always come first since structures built under power lines can lead to severe accidents or electrocution Others however expressed concern about the frequency of demolitions in Lagos and urged the government to handle such enforcement with more transparency and fairness .
Urban development analysts believe this may be part of a wider enforcement campaign by the Lagos State Government to ensure compliance with safety standards especially in areas prone to flooding or overcrowding They emphasized the need for continuous public awareness about building regulations and the importance of obtaining proper approvals before construction .
What Next
For now the Lagos State Government has not issued an official explanation regarding the demolition However it is expected that a statement may be released in the coming days to clarify the enforcement action .
Meanwhile Ola of Lagos has already announced plans to rebuild his business and promised that the new OOL Autos showroom will be even more sophisticated and customer friendly Observers also expect possible investigations into how the structure was approved and whether similar buildings in violation of safety laws will face the same fate .
The situation has also reignited conversations about city planning and the need for consistent enforcement of regulations to ensure public safety without unnecessarily affecting legitimate businesses .
Disclaimer
The news information presented here is based on available reports and reliable sources Readers are encouraged to verify updates from official news outlets for the most accurate information .