Cynthia Ezegwu
The Lagos State Government has defended the recent demolition of structures at the Trade Fair Complex, insisting that the exercise was lawful and carried out in accordance with due process.
The State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known in a statement on Monday following criticism from Senator Victor Umeh, who described the demolition as illegal and beyond the jurisdiction of the Lagos State Government.
Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, had argued during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief that the Trade Fair Complex was a federal property managed by the Federal Government through the Trade Fair Management Board, and therefore outside the control of the state government.
“The Trade Fair Complex is a federal establishment where the Lagos State Government moved in with heavy machinery to destroy people’s properties and investments without justification,” Umeh said. “Federal lands are managed by federal agencies, not state governments.”
In response, Wahab maintained that the state government acted within its legal authority, dismissing claims that the exercise was politically motivated.
READ ALSO: Lagos Defends Trade Fair Demolitions, Denies Ethnic Targeting
“When it comes to Lagos State, every Tom, Dick, and Harry has an opinion. Was it illegal when Gov. Alex Otti removed contraventions in Abia State? Was it also illegal when Gov. Soludo removed contraventions in Anambra?” Wahab wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Here in Lagos, every of our actions are backed by the law, and we stand by it all.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, said the demolitions were aimed at enforcing compliance and ensuring safety, not targeting anyone.
“The Trade Fair Complex had a history of non-compliance with building regulations and refused to cooperate with voluntary regularisation efforts despite several warnings,” Olumide explained. “This is about ensuring a livable and organised built environment, not targeting anyone personally.”