Reports indicate the Lagos State government has demolished sections of Computer Village at Ikeja – a popular market for information, communications and mobile technology products, accessories and services..
The target area of demolishment is the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) shopping complex. The plaza’s occupants have been making representations to the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun for their intervention to avert the planned demolishment.
But videos circulating online portray a completely demolished plaza said to have taken place at about 12.30am early Sunday.
A man narrating in a video circulating online identifies himself as Sunday Nwaogbonta and claims he is the Chief Security Officer to the plaza. He said the complex was home to about 1,500 shops and 5,000 business owners.
“While we were asleep, around 12.30 am we were alerted to ongoing demolition of POWA phase I and 2 – the largest plaza in the Ikeja computer village. I am the CSO here. The plaza accommodates over 5,000 business owners and 1,500 shops”, he said..
He said 99% of the occupants were from the Igbo ethnic stock and that the government went ahead with the demolishment despite all assurances to the contrary.
“This is their parting gift for us in 2023 and welcome gift for 2024”. He called the action of the government “100% political”.
Traders mostly from Southeast Nigeria in Lagos have been complaining of being unfairly targeted by the government of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu especially after the March 2023 elections in which most non-indigenous voters were reputed to have supported the opposition parties against the re-election of Mr. Sanwo-Olu.
Many buildings and shops were destroyed at Alaba International market for failing structural stress tests, according to the Lagos authorities. Hundreds of other buildings have been bulldozed down for running afoul of Lagos master plan.
The government insists it has no obnoxious intentions and was simply enforcing regulation.
No official comment yet from the administration or police regarding the situation.
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