Traders lamented bitterly after the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) early Sunday, December 31, began the planned demolition of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) shopping complex, situated in Ikeja area of Lagos.
The Nation learnt four excavators had arrived at the shopping complex by midnight with heavily armed police officers.
In a video by Crimefacts on Sunday afternoon, one Sunday Ogbonna said the POWA complex is the largest plaza in computer village.
Ogbonna said the place contained over 5,000 business owners and over 1500 shops.
Ogbonna claimed that 99%of Igbos are major business owners at the Lagos POWA complex. He said the Lagos state government had earlier assured them that no demolition would take in the area.
According to him, the demolition is 100% political.
NOTICE SATURDAY
Police authorities had said the planned demolition was in good faith and for the interest of all concerned.
The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Saturday had said it has become imperative to properly establish that the complex, a property of POWA, which was officially allocated to wives of police officers and their relatives, has been scheduled for demolition.
According to him, the demolition is to enable the police to commence immediate construction of a modern shopping complex on the same land.
