Head of Enforcement, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Olusoji Olaopa, has led attacks on another journalist, marking the second incident in seven months.
On November 16, 2023, Olaopa ordered a Vanguard journalist to be beaten by a police officer and dragged from the scene of a storey building collapse at 34 Oloto Street, Borno Way, off Freeman Street, Oyingbo, in Lagos Mainland Local Council. The reporter was assaulted by the mobile police attached to him, and it took the intervention of other journalists at the scene to stop the assault.
On May 30, 2024, Olaopa ordered that a journalist with The Guardian be beaten and dragged from the scene of a four-storey building collapse at 15 Iga Idunganran, Lagos Island. While an official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) shouted, “You know he’s a journalist, he identified himself already,” Olaopa dragged the journalist further, punching him while his subordinate slapped him. An official of the agency broke bottles and threatened to stab the reporter.
Olaopa boasted that he would beat the reporter and nothing would happen. He said, “You are stupid, I will beat you and nothing will happen. Step out now.” He then pushed the journalist to the floor with the aid of a mobile police officer attached to him.
When The Guardian reached out to the General Manager of LASBCA, Gbolahan Oki, he said, “I will look into it and get across to you.”
