Traders protest demolition at Lagos Trade Fair Complex

By Esther Onyegbula & Matthew Johnson

LAGOS — HUNDREDS of traders nether the umbrella of the Trade Fair Stakeholders Association, yesterday, protested the demolition of their buildings and concern premises by officials of the Lagos State government, past week Thursday.

The aggravated traders, who carried placards with inscriptions specified arsenic ‘Stop destroying our properties,’ ‘Our buildings are FG approved,’ and ‘This analyzable is regulated by the Federal Government,’ accused the Lagos State authorities of acting illegally and without owed process.

Addressing journalists during the protest, Chairman of the stakeholders’ forum, Chief Eric Ilechukwu alleged that authorities officials invaded the analyzable connected September 25 successful “a commando style” and pulled down respective structures without issuing contravention notices.

Ilechukwu maintained that the demolished buildings had valid approvals from the Trade Fair Management Board, which helium said was the statutory authorization empowered by instrumentality to oversee the analyzable connected behalf of the Federal Government.

His words: “The respective lease agreements we signed intelligibly bespeak that the Board is the approving and supervising authorization for constructions wrong the complex. At nary clip were we served contravention notices.”

The traders described the demolition arsenic a “grave injustice” and a usurpation of the regularisation of law, lamenting that hundreds of concern owners person been displaced and subjected to immense fiscal losses successful an already harsh economy.

They besides faulted remarks by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso connected a nationalist television, who claimed the traders had agelong been notified to get authorities approvals.

According to them, “the Trade Fair Complex is simply a national spot established by instrumentality and managed nether the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board Act, and its ownership cannot beryllium usurped by the state.”

Calling for urgent intervention, the traders urged President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to wade into the matter, declaring that “We stay committed to peace, lawful business,.”

One of the affected traders, who is the CEO of Magnum Merchandise Limited, Mr Ike Magnus, claimed that his fashionable “white building” was demolished contempt having national approvals.

“In each honesty, we are victims of erstwhile 2 elephants fight. I person mislaid millions. Even if we are portion of the problem, owed process should person been followed,” helium said tearfully.

Demolition is unfortunate — Mgt Board

Executive Director of the Lagos International Trade Fair Management Board, Vera Safiya Ndanusa, who addressed the aggrieved traders, sympathised with their plight and confirmed that the analyzable was nether the power of the Federal Government done the Board.

Safiya said: “It is unfortunate that we were not carried on earlier this incident. But I privation to guarantee you that each indispensable ministry and bureau has been notified. The spot belongs to the Federal Government and we mean to resoluteness this substance amicably.”.

The station Traders protestation demolition astatine Lagos Trade Fair Complex appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.