Hundreds of traders under the umbrella of the Trade Fair Stakeholders Association yesterday staged a protest in Lagos over the demolition of shops and offices at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, describing the state government’s action as “illegal and malicious.”
The demonstrators, largely of Igbo extraction, marched through the complex with placards bearing inscriptions such as “Stop destroying our properties,” “Our buildings are FG approved,” and “This complex is regulated by the Federal Government.”
They accused the Lagos State Government of usurping the authority of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board — a federal agency — by pulling down more than 19 buildings at the New Mandela Plaza.
The demolition, which took place on September 25, was carried out under tight security, with task force operatives, Rapid Response Squad personnel, and tactical teams cordoning off the area to prevent traders from resisting or recording the exercise.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the Chairman of the Stakeholders’ Forum, Chief Eric Ilechukwu, alleged that the operation was executed “in commando style” without any prior notice of contravention.
“The lease agreements we signed clearly state that the Federal Government, through the Management Board, is the approving authority for all constructions here. At no time did the Lagos State Government issue us notices,” he said.
The traders lamented that the demolition had displaced hundreds of businesses and wiped out investments worth millions of naira at a time when the economy was already biting hard.
One of the affected traders, Mr Ike Magnus, CEO of Magnum Merchandise Limited, fought back tears as he narrated how his company’s “white building” was pulled down.
“In all honesty, we are victims of when two elephants fight. I have lost millions. Even if there was a problem, due process should have been followed,” he said.
The aggrieved traders also dismissed comments by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, who insisted that the affected business owners had long been advised to regularise their structures with the state government.
According to them, the Trade Fair Complex is federal property established by law, adding that ownership and control “cannot be usurped by the state.”
In a conciliatory move, the Executive Director of the Lagos International Trade Fair Management Board, Vera Safiya Ndanusa, who later addressed the protesters, sympathised with their plight and reassured them that the matter would be pursued at the federal level.
“It is unfortunate that we were not carried along before this incident. But I assure you that the relevant ministries and agencies have been notified. The property belongs to the Federal Government, and we intend to resolve this matter amicably,” she said.
The traders have since appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to intervene urgently to avert further losses and restore confidence in the complex.
