Ohanaeze Speaks On Reported Demolition Of Igbo Shops In Lagos Market

Ohanaeze Speaks On Reported Demolition Of Igbo Shops In Lagos Market

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has spoken on the reported demolition of shops belonging to Igbos at Alaba International Market in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, south-west Nigeria.

The Lagos State Government had, on Friday, begun the process of demolishing “distressed buildings” in the market to “prevent disaster and save lives.”

In a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said it was “drawn to several fake publications circulating on social media” alleging that the state government was carrying out the demolition to “victimise” Igbos in the state.

Ohanaeze said it had carried out investigations to establish the actual state of affairs and has confirmed the speculations to be fake.

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The group, the statement said, contacted some persons, including Chinedu Ukata, a member of the Lagos State Market Advisory Council and President Ndigbo-Amaka Progressive Market Association, and Ikechukwu Okolo, who resides around the market.

It said all the persons contacted confirmed to the Igbo group that the affected buildings were those erected on waterways which are “blocking the free flow of water and not about plazas and shops” in the market and that the owners of the affected structures had been adequately notified.

The President-General of Ohanaeze, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has expressed concerns over the lingering problems in the state, the statement said.

Visiting Lagos and other South-west states

Mr Iwuanyanwu urged Lagos State Environment and Development Authority to exercise prudence and best considerations in discharging its duties.

“Remain calm,” he told Igbos in the state.

The president-general indicated that there was “a pressing need” to visit Lagos and other South-west states in “the next few weeks”, according to the statement.

“He (Iwuanyanwu) is optimistic that during the visit, all challenges confronting the Igbo in Lagos will be addressed,” it added.

‘Why we’re demolishing the buildings’ – Lagos govt

The Lagos State Government earlier explained that it would demolish 17 buildings in the market because they were “physically distressed” and that the “lives of businessmen and women within the market would be put at risk” in the event of imminent collapse.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Gbolahan Oki, said the distressed buildings also pose a danger to other adjoining structures in the market.

Mr Oki added that the buildings had been marked for demolition many times since 2016, but the occupants disregarded the notices.

Alaba International Market is one of the largest markets in Nigeria. It has a mixture of people from various ethnic groups in the country running diverse businesses there.

The market has a high population of Igbos from the South-eastern part of the country.