No fewer than 19 buildings were demolished on Monday at the New Mandela Plaza, within the popular Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, as the Lagos State Government moved in with bulldozers under heavy security.
Convoys of trucks from the Lagos State Task Force, Rapid Response Squad, and other tactical units sealed off the area. Stern-looking officers dispersed traders who attempted to record the operation, while bulldozers reduced targeted buildings to rubble.
Traders Count Losses
Distraught shop owners said they were caught off guard. Many insisted they had not received any prior demolition notice.
One trader lamented: “We don’t even know the reason for the demolition. People are moving around asking questions. Nobody told us anything.” Another said the buildings may have been marked for being “too close to a canal.”
Several business owners claimed goods worth millions were destroyed as bulldozers pulled down shops with stock still inside. Traders estimated each demolished building to be worth over ₦150 million.
Chief Magnus Ike, CEO of Magnus Merchandise, said he had federal approval for his property and had never received any warning from the state government:
“This building was inspected. Even the Ministry of Environment has been here. If there is a problem, the proper thing is to notify us. You don’t just let people take loans, invest billions, and then crush everything overnight.”
His younger brother, Magnus Ikenna, accused officials of acting without transparency:
“Even as of Wednesday, there was no sign of demolition. This morning, they just moved in with bulldozers and started tear-gassing everybody.”
Another agitated trader fumed: “If government doesn’t want development here, they should just say it. Over 19 buildings have gone. People will die of shock if nothing is done.”
Government’s Defence
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the demolition was part of an enforcement drive against:
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illegal developments,
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buildings without statutory approvals,
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defective structures, and
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properties 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,” he stated.
The operation involved the Ministry of Physical Planning, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority, backed by security operatives.
Next Steps
Following the uproar, the Lagos State Government announced a temporary halt to the demolitions and ordered that all ongoing constructions at the plaza be suspended.
Leaders of the market have since met with state officials, and both parties agreed to resume discussions next Tuesday.
