Ohanaeze Accuses Sanwo-Olu of Targeting Igbo Properties as Over 2,700 Structures Are Demolished in Lagos
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that the apex Igbo socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has accused the Lagos State Government under Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of deliberately targeting Igbo-owned properties in what it described as a politically motivated demolition campaign.
OTN News further reports that in a strongly worded statement jointly signed on Sunday by the Deputy President-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and the National Spokesperson of Ohanaeze, Chinemeze Ohia, the group alleged that no fewer than 2,753 structures belonging to Igbo people have been demolished across Lagos State since 2019, resulting in massive economic losses estimated at ₦23 trillion.
The group claimed that the widespread demolitions were not administrative exercises but part of a “calculated political vendetta” to undermine the economic base of the Igbo community in Lagos ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Such measures are not merely administrative actions; they are perceived as a calculated political vendetta designed to systematically dismantle the economic contributions of Igbo residents in Lagos State, compelling them to vacate the state in advance of the 2027 elections,” the statement read.
Ohanaeze condemned the recent demolitions of shops and buildings at the Trade Fair Complex, describing the move as an act of injustice and a direct assault on Igbo entrepreneurship.
The organization further accused the state government of flouting due process, arguing that the demolitions violated both national and international laws protecting property rights.
Citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the UN Convention on Human Rights, and the 1978 Land Use Act, Ohanaeze said property revocations in Nigeria require lawful notice, stakeholder consultation, and just compensation, none of which, it alleged, were observed in the Lagos demolitions.
“Independent investigations by Ohanaeze Ndigbo indicate that these actions breach the Lagos State Urban and Regional Development Law,” the statement said, noting that no environmental impact assessments or consultations were conducted before the demolitions began.
Ohanaeze also reminded Governor Sanwo-Olu of the strong electoral support he received from the Igbo community in the 2019 general elections, expressing disappointment that his administration had allegedly “repaid that goodwill with hostility.”
“Since the commencement of his administration, over 2,753 houses, shops, and other valuable properties have been callously demolished without due recourse to the owners, representing colossal losses amounting to approximately ₦23 trillion in investments,” the statement read.
The organization appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the crisis and ensure fairness, justice, and protection for the affected citizens. It also renewed calls for the revitalization of the Calabar Seaport and other critical infrastructure projects in the Southeast, which it said had been neglected for nearly six decades.
Ohanaeze further urged Igbo business owners in Lagos to reassess the sustainability of their investments in the state and consider redirecting their resources toward the Old Eastern Region, particularly the Southeast zone, in line with the group’s “Think Home” (Akụ Ruo Ụlọ) economic philosophy.
“The ‘Think Home’ philosophy is increasingly seen as the most viable response to these ongoing demolitions. Standing united, we shall confront these injustices and defend the rights and livelihoods of the Igbo people,” the group concluded.
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