The once-bustling Trade Fair Complex on the Lagos–Badagry Expressway now resembles a war zone. Along Balogun Road, bulldozers pulled down no fewer than 19 buildings on Thursday, September 25, leaving behind heaps of rubble, twisted iron rods, and broken dreams.
The Lagos State Government defended the exercise, insisting the structures were illegal, lacked state approval, and were built on canals. But for traders, the demolition came without warning. What was once a humming commercial hub has fallen silent, replaced by the clinking of scavengers combing debris for scraps.
During a Saturday Vanguard visit, displaced traders narrated tales of despair. Some questioned the selective nature of the exercise, pointing out untouched shops standing beside ruins. One woman, retrieving a torn tarpaulin from the rubble, muttered: “Everything is gone. No shop, nothing.” For many, the site has become the burial ground of decades of toil and savings.
Mr. Magnus Ike, CEO of Magnum Merchandise Limited, said six of his two-storey buildings—housing a diagnostic centre, crèche, mall, and offices—were razed while he hosted foreign partners. “It was chaos. Tear gas filled the air, buildings were collapsing. No notice, no request for documents, nothing,” he said, accusing the state of bypassing due process.
Chief Eric Chukwuilechukwu, President of the Association of Progressive Traders (APT), also condemned the demolition but urged restraint: “We chose peace because we are law-abiding. This is federal land. For decades, we’ve operated here under federal authority. To now claim it’s Lagos State territory is strange.”
As scavengers continue to strip debris and traders compile records of their losses, all eyes are on the Lagos State Government. A meeting between officials and market stakeholders is scheduled for next week, with expectations high over possible compensation and the future of the affected businesses.
