No fewer than 19 buildings were demolished yesterday at the New Mandela Plaza, within the popular Trade Fair Complex in Lagos, as the Lagos State Government, backed by heavy security, moved in to enforce the exercise.
The operation was carried out under tight security, with convoys of Lagos State Task Force trucks, Rapid Response Squad vehicles, and other tactical teams stationed around the plaza. Armed officers restricted access and dispersed traders attempting to capture the scene on their phones.
By the time Hobnob News visited, several buildings had already been reduced to rubble, leaving shop owners devastated. Many traders claimed they were not given prior notice of the demolition.
A distraught trader told Hobnob News:
“We don’t even know the reason for the demolition. People are just running around asking questions.”
Another trader speculated that the affected structures may have been marked for being too close to a canal.
One plaza owner, who arrived as bulldozers pulled down his building, shouted in frustration that he was never served any notice. Sales representatives also lamented that goods worth millions of naira, still locked inside shops, were destroyed in the process.
Traders estimated that each of the demolished buildings was worth over ₦150 million. Chief Magnus Ike, CEO of Magnus Merchandise, whose multi-billion-naira property was affected, said he had federal approval for his building.
“Honestly, I was never served any notice from the Lagos State Government. This building was inspected and cleared by federal agencies. If there’s any problem, the proper thing is to notify us. You don’t let people borrow bank money, invest their life savings, and then crush everything overnight,” he lamented.
Standing amid the ruins, another trader vowed:
“Demolition or not, I will continue to build. Lagos is for all of us; we go nowhere.”
His younger brother, Mr. Magnus Ikenna, added:
“Even as of Wednesday, there was no sign of demolition. This morning, they just moved in with bulldozers and started tear-gassing everybody. They claim we don’t have state approval, but since 2000, we’ve always dealt with the Federal Government here. How can the rules change overnight?”
Government’s Position
Responding to the outcry, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the exercise on X (formerly Twitter). He stated that the demolition targeted “illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective structures, and buildings erected on road setbacks and drainages.”
“The Lagos State Government can no longer fold its arms while unapproved developments block critical infrastructure and endanger lives,” Gawat said.
The operation was jointly executed by the Ministry of Physical Planning, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority, with security forces providing backup.
Following the heated reactions, the state government later ordered a temporary suspension of the demolition, while ongoing constructions were directed to stop. Leaders of the market have since met with state officials, with another meeting scheduled for Tuesday next week.
