No fewer than 19 buildings were on Thursday demolished at the New Mandela Plaza inside the bustling Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, as the state government moved in with heavy security to enforce the exercise.
The operation was carried out under the watch of armed security operatives, including men of the Lagos State Task Force, Rapid Response Squad, and other tactical units.
Convoys of trucks surrounded the plaza while stern-looking officers restricted access and dispersed traders who attempted to record the demolition.
By the time of filing this report, several buildings inside the plaza had already been reduced to rubble, sparking outrage among occupants and shop owners, many of whom insisted that they were not given prior notice before the exercise began.
The incident, which started in the morning hours, left many traders distraught as goods and property locked inside shops were destroyed along with the structures.
One trader, still in shock, said: “We don’t even know the reason for the demolition. People are just moving up and down, asking questions.” Another suggested that the buildings might have been marked for being too close to a canal.
A plaza owner, who arrived at the scene only to meet bulldozers pulling down his property, shouted from his vehicle that he was never served a demolition notice. Several sales representatives also lamented that their employers’ goods worth millions of naira were trapped inside.
Some of the affected traders estimated that each of the 19 demolished buildings was valued at over N150 million, calling the action a devastating blow to their businesses.
One visibly agitated trader said: “If government doesn’t want companies or development here, they should just tell us. People have invested their life savings here. Over 19 buildings have gone down in a single day.”
Chief Magnus Ike, Chief Executive Officer of Magnus Merchandise, watched helplessly as his multi-billion-naira property was demolished.
He maintained that his building had federal approval: “I have never received any notice from the Lagos State Government.
The only notices we get here are from the Federal Government, and we comply. This building was inspected by the Ministry of Environment. If there is an issue, the right thing is to notify us. You don’t let people borrow money from banks, take loans, and then destroy their investments overnight.”
Dismissing claims that his property sat on a canal, he argued: “Look around, there is no canal here. Whatever their reasons are, due process requires notice. None was given.”
Despite his loss, Ike stood defiantly among the ruins, declaring: “Demolition or not, I will keep building. Lagos belongs to all of us, we are not going anywhere.”
