Last Thursday, bulldozers rolled into the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex — a bustling hub of commerce — leaving behind ruins, tears, and unanswered questions. Traders watched helplessly as buildings worth billions were flattened. Their life savings, years of sweat, and hopes were reduced to dust. While the Lagos State Government insists it was simply enforcing physical planning laws, many Nigerians see it as a harsh and unilateral act that ignored both human and legal considerations.
According to legal expert Barrister Martin Okpaleke, the complex is a federal property, not a state one. The Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board, established under federal law, falls under the supervision of the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investments. This means any action within the complex should involve federal authorities like the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the National Council on Privatisation (NCP). But reports suggest Lagos acted alone, without consultation — a move Okpaleke describes as a “brazen abuse of power.”
The Lagos Government, however, claims it was empowered by a 2003 Supreme Court judgment giving states control over physical planning within their territories. Yet, Okpaleke argues that the ruling never granted states the right to demolish federal properties. The judgment only clarified that states could manage their urban planning — not override federal ownership. He questions whether due process was followed, noting that many affected traders insist they received no prior demolition notices.
The demolition has reignited an old tension: Lagos has long sought to take full control of the Trade Fair Complex from the Federal Government. Even as far back as Tinubu’s time as governor, the state had demanded its handover. The Ambode administration even accepted a commission’s recommendation to pursue it. But now, with Tinubu as President, critics warn Lagos must avoid abusing its proximity to power.
Okpaleke believes the path forward lies not in bulldozers, but in dialogue and intergovernmental cooperation. He insists that the state should work with federal agencies to resolve disputes, uphold the rule of law, and protect citizens’ livelihoods. “The sins of a government agency,” he said, “should not be visited upon innocent traders.”
The dust may have settled at the Trade Fair Complex, but the echoes of loss — and the demand for accountability — still hang heavy in the Lagos air.
