The Anambra Physical Planning Board (AnPPB) on Friday embarked on the demolition of illegal structures and shanties in the State.

Chike Maduekwe, managing director of AnPPB, spoke to journalists on Friday and said the structures pose environmental and security threats to the people of the area.

Structures demolished included shanties around the perimeter fence of public buildings in Nkisi and an ongoing building on a canal in Enekwasumpu, Omogba area of Onitsha.

Mr Maduekwe said the three months’ notice given to developers to provide proof of building approval had elapsed, and enforcement had commenced.

He said Governor Chukwuma Soludo had given a directive that the board ensured full compliance with physical planning and control. He added that the administration was a government of law and order.

Mr Maduekwe said the exercise would be total and continuous as the government would not want to risk people’s lives, no matter how highly placed the offenders were.

“Operation show your building permit’s grace has expired, and we have started visiting those who we feel are recalcitrant.

“We got a report that somebody was building on a canal, and upon inspection, we found that the man had been warned long ago. He came to AnPPB for approval, but we did not grant him, and he went ahead.

“This site poses a security challenge because the report we have says girls are raped here at night, and criminals operate here at night. He also uses private security to beat up passers-by and seize their cell phones,” Mr Maduekwe.

He assured that the government would continue to monitor the location and invite the developer for questioning over some observation on the site.

“We want to warn everybody, including government officials, that they must obtain approval before building, and if proof of approval is not provided, the structure will be brought down,” he said.

(NAN)