Traders Count Millions in Losses After Sudden Demolition at Trade Fair Complex

LAGOS, NIGERIA — Traders at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, were left in shock on Thursday as bulldozers from the Lagos State Government demolished more than 19 buildings, leaving millions of naira in goods and property destroyed.

The exercise, carried out by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Physical Planning Permit Authority, and the Urban Renewal Agency, was backed by armed security operatives.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, explained that the action was supported by a 2003 Supreme Court judgment and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Law of 2019. He stressed that federal ownership of the land does not exempt developers from state planning approvals.

But affected traders told NEWS REVIEW that no demolition notices were issued before their buildings were pulled down.

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One eyewitness, Ikenna, said the exercise began around 8 a.m. without warning. “Nothing like a notice to vacate was issued. No court order, no sealed mark, nothing. They just stormed the place with bulldozers and security operatives,” he said.

Another trader, Stephen, argued that their approvals came from federal authorities. “This is federal land. We got clearance from the Federal Government. If Lagos insists we didn’t, why no prior notice?” he asked.

An engineer on site, Samuel, described the demolition as poorly executed, alleging that officials marked buildings for demolition the same morning they were brought down. “Millions went into these structures. One was even under construction,” he lamented.

Several traders accused officials of destroying goods still inside the shops. “The caterpillar pulled down our shops with engines, furniture, and electronics still inside,” a distraught trader said, adding that security operatives prevented them from salvaging their items.

The demolished plazas located near Lotus Bank and within the Sea Breeze complex. Housed businesses such as High Time Logistics, Bestolar Plaza, and Anuchem Luxury Furniture & Interiors. Scavengers were later seen carting away materials from the rubble.

The incident once again reignited the long-running dispute over who has authority over the expansive Trade Fair Complex, the Federal Government or Lagos State. Traders maintain they obtained approvals from the Federal Housing Authority, while the state insists no structure in Lagos can stand without its permit.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, defended the demolition, saying the developers ignored repeated warnings and failed to take advantage of an amnesty period to regularise their approvals. He insisted due process was followed, noting: “The Trade Fair belongs to the Federal Government, yes, but under the law, only the state can approve building plans.”

For many traders, however, the dispute has left them devastated, businesses built over years were lost in a matter of hours.

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