‘80% Of Demolished Lagos Buildings Owned By Yorubas’ — Group Claims

Against the insinuation in some quarters that the ongoing demolition of illegal structures by the Lagos State government is targeting people of Igbo ethnic group, the South West Professional Forum (SOWPROF) has dismissed the claims.

According to the group, 80 percent of the victims of the ongoing demolition of illegal buildings are people of the Yoruba ethnic group.

The President of SOWPROF, Chief Segun Ajibulu, stated this in a statement made available to journalists by Lateef Kayode.

“We need to set the records straight. We have done diligent checks. We have a compilation of all the victims of the demolition of illegal structures in Lagos. We have done extensive compilation of the victims and the issues involved. Some 80 percent of the victims of the demolished of illegal buildings in Lagos are from the South West area,” SOWPROF said.

The group regretted that the genuine intention of the state government to address serious environmental hazards, which has led to flooding, deaths and threatens the collective future of the people of the state, is being viewed from ethnic lens.

SOWPROF urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu not to be discouraged by those playing ethnic politics with purely environmental issues, adding that the demolition of illegal buildings is not peculiar to Lagos.

“It takes place in all the South East, North West, North East and South South. It has happened in Port Harcourt, Kano,Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri, Aba, Kaduna, Ilorin, Makurdi and in many cities across the country. It is unfortunate that some people are exploring the fragile political situation in the country to cause disaffection using the demolition of illegal buildings in Lagos State as a pun in the game,” it said.

Recall that Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, had on Monday, asked Igbo leaders to visit Sanwo-Olu and President Bola Tinubu over the demolition of houses and properties belonging to Igbo people in the state.

“#LagosDemolitions: It’s time for the entire Igbo leadership to pay a visit to @jidesanwoolu & @officialABAT.

“This should include the NASS caucus, all the Governors, the Clergy, traditional & civic leaders. They shouldn’t beg. Instead, they should issue an ultimatum; a cease & desist,” the lawyer had said via his X handle.

In a follow up tweet on Tuesday, Ejimakor said: “Blaming Igbo victims of the tribalistic #LagosDemolitions for investing in Lagos is double injustice. As long as Ndigbo are marooned in Nigeria, they’re entitled to the constitutional right to own property anywhere in Nigeria. Otherwise, you call a spade a spade & cut them loose.”