The Lagos State Government has dismissed comments made by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, regarding the recent demolition of structures at the Trade Fair Complex along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, described Obi’s remarks as “emotional theatrics” designed to mislead the public.
Obi, who visited the complex, had praised traders for their restraint and claimed that the demolished buildings had approvals, calling the exercise “a test of impunity, justice and compassion.”
But Omotoso refuted the claims, stressing that none of the affected structures had valid permits from the state government. He explained that Lagos had in 2023 declared a general amnesty for owners of unapproved buildings, with multiple extensions, but owners at the Trade Fair failed to comply.
He further alleged that planning officials were attacked and denied access to the complex, forcing the police to intervene. “When the government invited the owners for talks, they bluntly refused to show up,” he added.
Omotoso clarified that while the Trade Fair Complex Board can handle leases and commercial activities, it lacks authority to grant building approvals. He cited the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992) and a 2003 Supreme Court ruling affirming Lagos State’s power over physical planning and development.
He stressed that all structures without valid planning permits are illegal and liable to demolition. “We must decide whether we want a society governed by law or one run by emotions, driven by political interests,” Omotoso concluded.
The enforcement exercise, carried out last Thursday by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, saw over 19 buildings demolished for non-compliance despite repeated warnings and amnesty offers.
