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Lagos Govt Defends Trade Fair Demolition, Denies Ethnic Bias Allegations
The Lagos State Government has defended the ongoing demolition of illegal structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, stressing that the exercise is strictly in line with planning regulations and not aimed at any ethnic group.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olumide Oluyinka, dismissed allegations of ethnic targeting, describing the operation as a purely technical matter.
“That is not true. We have been to Owode Onirin, Idumota, and Ikeja. It has no ethnic correlation. The fact is that we just have to do our work. There is nothing ethnic here; it is purely technical,” Oluyinka said.
He explained that several structures within the complex were erected without statutory approvals, with some failing basic safety standards.
“There has been a series of enforcement carried out on Lagos Island. I personally led a team that even touched the palace of a white cap chief. This is Nigeria for all of us. The facts are clear; when you are in a place, you must live by the law of that place,” he added.
Oluyinka noted that property owners were given ample time to comply with regulations before the demolitions began, highlighting incidents of harassment faced by government officials while serving notices.
“I led a team there in March 2024. Between then and now is over a year and a half. Our officers went there to serve notices and were locked up for five to six hours. Even this year, officers went there and were detained. So what more notice are they requesting? It’s not new to them that we were coming. We gave defaulters time. They must keep by the law,” he said.
The commissioner further accused the Trade Fair Management of worsening the situation by leasing land to third parties who built without proper planning approvals.
He also expressed concern about the poor state of infrastructure at the complex.
“It’s a shame we allowed our Trade Fair to get to that extent. Refuse, passage, drainages, walkways, sewage, everything is in shambles. They should even be happy we are there to sanitise because that is our responsibility. We cannot allow it to continue,” Oluyinka stressed.
The demolition exercise, which began on September 25, 2025, was supervised by the Ministry of Physical Planning, in collaboration with the Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority, with security backup provided.
