Lagos Govt Defends Trade Fair Demolition, Says Action Was Legal and Not Targeted at Igbos

The Lagos State Government has responded to claims by Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central regarding the recent demolition at the Trade Fair Complex, stating that the operation was carried out lawfully and not targeted at any ethnic group.  Eyes Of Lagos reports,

Senator Umeh had earlier criticized the demolition, describing it as “illegal and beyond the jurisdiction” of Lagos State. He argued that the complex is federal property, managed by the Federal Government’s Trade Fair Management Board, and therefore outside the state’s control.

Speaking on Channels Television, Umeh said: “The country is governed by laws and the constitution. I’m disappointed that the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning came on air to justify an illegal action. 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.”

Lagos Govt: Every Action Followed Due Process

In response, Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, dismissed the senator’s claims as inaccurate and politically charged.

Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) page on Monday, Wahab insisted that the state’s actions were legally backed and consistent with due process.

He wrote: “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? Here in Lagos, all our actions are backed by the law, and we stand by them.”

Wahab emphasized that the demolition was not ethnically motivated, describing it instead as part of the state’s urban enforcement drive to ensure compliance with environmental and planning regulations.

The statement comes amid growing online debates over ownership and control of the Trade Fair Complex — and whether Lagos authorities overstepped legal boundaries.

Observers say the controversy once again highlights the delicate balance between federal and state powers in Nigeria’s governance structure, particularly when public interest and property rights collide.

When it comes to Lagos State, every tom, dick and harry have an opinion. Was it illegal when Gov. @alexottiofr removed contraventions in Abia State? Was it also illegal when Gov @CCSoludo also removed contraventions in Anambra?

Here in Lagos, every of our actions is backed by… https://t.co/aDsRo4HRgo

— Tokunbo Wahab (@tokunbo_wahab) October 6, 2025