Lagos trade fair demolition unlawful, says Victor Umeh

Victor Umeh, a senator representing Anambra central, says the demolition of some buildings at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex is unlawful. 

On September 25, the Lagos state government demolished some shops at the trade fair, citing lack of compliance with the state’s laws.

Umeh said the Lagos state government lacked the legal authority to approve land development at the area “because it belongs to the federal government”. 

“There are federal and state lands. If you go to Lagos now or any part of Lagos, any property that belongs to the federal government, you go to the federal land registry in Ikoyi to ascertain the title of that property. You don’t go to Alausa land registry,” he said. 

“There are clear demarcations of jurisdiction between federal lands and state lands. Their entrance into that place to destroy the buildings was an intrusion. And if you speak to the Executive Director or CEO of the Trade Fair Management Board, you will get the facts.”

The senator refuted claims that the structures were built on canals. 

“We went there to ascertain the veracity of their claim that the buildings were on drainage tunnels or places where they are not supposed to build anything,” he said.

”And when we got there, we went around the whole place. No building was standing on a canal or on a drainage channel.

“The complex is managed by the Trade Fair Management Board, which has a CEO and Executive Director.

”Lagos state has never collected property rates, ground rents, or granted approvals for development there. Until September 25, when they moved in with heavy machines to destroy buildings, they had never exercised any authority over that land.”

Umeh noted that he does not want to believe rumours that the Igbos are being targeted in Lagos.

He called on the government to be humane and act in accordance with the constitution when dealing with citizens, regardless of their state of origin. 

Umeh said he visited the complex with Peter Obi, the former Labour party presidential candidate, because they are the representatives of the people. 

“Over 70% of the people in that place are our people, and you cannot go and bully them and intimidate them and abandon them,” he said. 

“Mr. Peter Obi was one of the developers of that trade complex. He has a plaza there, with over 200 shops, back in 1995.

”All the associations there, he is their patron. So he cannot sit back when people call him that they are being dealt with against the provisions of the law.”

The senator refuted claims that non-indigenes are not allowed to own land in the south- east. 

“It is an open market. If you see land to buy and you have money to pay for it, nobody can tell you, ‘I will not sell it to you’,” he said. 

“It is a question of demand and supply. Those who are interested have bought land in Enugu, Awka, and Onitsha. The Igbos will not carry their land and come and give you.”