Traders Protest Demolition at Lagos Trade Fair Complex
Hundreds of traders, mostly of Igbo origin, on Monday staged a protest at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex over the demolition of their business premises. The demonstration was organised under the umbrella of the Trade Fair Stakeholders Association.
The traders described the demolition exercise, which affected more than 19 buildings at the New Mandela Plaza within the complex, as illegal and malicious. They carried placards demanding an end to the destruction of their properties and insisted that the affected structures were duly approved by the Federal Government.
The demolition, carried out on September 25, was supervised by officials of the Lagos State Government and backed by heavily armed security operatives, including task force units, Rapid Response Squad personnel, and tactical teams. Traders were prevented from documenting the incident as the area was cordoned off.
Stakeholders alleged that the exercise was conducted without contravention notices and maintained that the buildings were approved by the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board, the statutory body empowered under federal law to regulate activities within the complex. They dismissed claims by the Lagos State Government that traders had been directed to obtain state approvals, stressing that the Trade Fair Complex is a federal property and cannot be taken over by the state.
The protesters argued that the demolitions amounted to grave injustice, displacing hundreds of business owners and inflicting huge financial losses at a time of economic hardship. They called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to urgently intervene in the dispute.
Officials of the Lagos International Trade Fair Management Board later addressed the traders, expressing sympathy over their plight and reaffirming that the complex remains under federal control. The board also confirmed that relevant ministries and agencies have been notified of the development and pledged efforts to resolve the matter amicably.
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