Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing demolition of properties owned by the Igbo community in Lagos State.
Kalu described the demolition as painful and unnecessary, saying it has brought hardship to many Nigerians.
He made the call on Saturday during the commissioning of projects in Aba, Abia State.
“Mr President, I want to say that the destruction of our brothers’ houses and offices in Lagos makes our hearts bleed,” Kalu said.
The lawmaker urged the president to prevail on the Lagos State government to stop further demolitions and give affected property owners a chance to regularize their documents.
He added, “For those who haven’t gotten the right papers, please appeal to the governor to accommodate them.
Let them fix their documents instead of facing destruction. These are hard times, and people are already struggling.”
Recently, the Lagos State government demolished several plazas at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo Local Government Area.
The move has sparked widespread outrage and concerns over the fate of many traders and business owners.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi also condemned the demolitions after visiting the affected area.
He commended traders for their calm response and insisted that most of the buildings had valid approvals.
“I must commend the traders for their remarkable restraint despite their losses,” Obi said.
“Many of them invested heavily, often through loans. To destroy such legitimate businesses without due process is unjust and economically harmful.”
He added that a nation seeking progress must protect enterprise and ensure fairness, justice, and compassion in governance.
However, the Lagos State government dismissed Obi’s claims. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, stated that the affected owners had no valid building approvals.
He explained that the government had previously granted an amnesty period for owners to regularize their documents, which was extended several times, but many ignored the opportunity.
“When officials of Physical Planning visited the complex, they were attacked and rescued by police.
The owners refused all invitations for dialogue,” Omotoso said.
He clarified that the Trade Fair Management Board, a federal body, has no authority to issue or approve building permits in Lagos State.
According to him, planning and building approvals fall under the jurisdiction of state governments as outlined in the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act of 1992.
The controversy continues to raise ethnic and political tensions, as calls grow for the government to find a humane and lawful resolution to the demolitions.
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