Residents of the Ikorodu High School bus stop area in Odongiyan, along Sagamu Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, have raised safety concerns over a gas station being constructed directly beneath high-tension electricity cables.
The residents and community leaders fear that the facility could endanger lives and property, urging relevant government agencies to take decisive action to prevent a possible disaster.
The concerns followed an inspection by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), who reportedly directed the gas station operator to move the facility away from the high-tension wires.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, the community head, Tajudeen Ojo, said the officials issued the directive during an inspection on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
According to him, the operator agreed to move the facility backwards and was instructed to visit the agency’s office for proper documentation.
Ojo explained that residents initially did not object to the construction because they believed the property would continue to serve as a cement or iron rod sales outlet.
He said the community only became aware of the intended business when a gas tanker arrived at the premises, prompting residents to raise the alarm.
Resident alleges attack over opposition
A resident, Kazeem Olasupo, alleged that his efforts to sensitise a nearby school about the potential dangers of the gas station resulted in an altercation.
He said he had visited the school to inform the principal about the project and encouraged two staff members to attend a meeting with the Lagos State Safety Commission.
Olasupo alleged that after the meeting, one of the staff members questioned his opposition to the business and subsequently informed the person who allocated the land to the gas station operator about his parked vehicle.
He claimed that he was attacked by a couple when he returned to retrieve his car.
According to him, the chief Imam of a nearby estate, who intervened to stop the assault, was also beaten.
Olasupo further alleged that the gas station operator could not provide any regulatory documents when LASEPA officials requested them.
He said the agency subsequently directed the operator to stop work and invited the parties involved to its headquarters for further discussions.
However, he maintained that moving the facility backwards would not adequately address the safety concerns.
Another resident, Bolarinwa Ojo, also questioned whether the proposed adjustment would sufficiently protect the community, insisting that the gas station remained dangerously close to the high-tension cables.
He said the community was not consulted before the agreement between the landowner and the operator was reached.
Bolarinwa added that neither the community head nor the Community Development Association authorised the project.
Human rights group monitors controversy
Meanwhile, the Ikorodu Coordinator of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Oludare Abolurin, said the organisation was monitoring the controversy, particularly concerns surrounding regulatory compliance, environmental protection and public safety.
In a statement made available to PUNCH Metro on Monday, Abolurin said a LASEPA inspection team led by an official identified as Engr. Sawyer visited the facility on November 5.
He said he and the community head were present during the inspection, where the officials reportedly discovered that the operators could not produce documents establishing compliance with the relevant approval requirements.
Abolurin described the development as concerning and called for a comprehensive regulatory investigation.
He also raised concerns over alleged threats and intimidation against residents and human rights advocates opposing the project.
The CDHR coordinator disclosed that the woman associated with the project and her husband had reportedly been invited to appear at LASEPA’s headquarters in Alausa on Monday, November 9, for further engagement.
He said the organisation would continue monitoring the situation and engaging relevant authorities to ensure accountability and protect residents.
As of the time of filing the original report, the LASEPA stop-work order remained in place at the project site.
