The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed shock and displeasure over the magnitude of damage and pains inflicted on the victims of demolished shops at Alaba International Market by the Lagos State Government.
Ohanaeze in a press statement issued after a fact-finding mission of the demolition queried the rationality of the action especially when it was carried out within a short notice.
According to the statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, the apex Igbo body is yet to come to terms with the justification of the action of the Lagos State Government which brought grief on affected Igbo traders in the market.
The statement said that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who led the delegation “expressed deep grief over the extent and worth of the demolitions and the huge loss of goods.”
Chief Iwuanyanwu was quoted as commending the Igbo spirit of hard work, perseverance, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and resilience, and assuring the traders “that with the Almighty God, they will definitely overcome the immediate challenges.”
The Ohanaeze PG was further quoted as arguing that if Nigerians could own property abroad, it makes no sense demolishing properties genuinely acquired by any Nigerian in any part of the country without justifications.
“The Igbo Leader explained that if a Nigerian can buy property in any part of the world, there is no reason a Nigerian will have his/her property demolished in any part of Nigeria, at a very short notice, and without justifications”, Iwuanyanwu said.
According to the statement, Chief Iwuanyanwu urged “Igbo traders to remain unfazed and in high spirit, assuring them that he will stand against any form of injustice against any Igbo, anywhere and anytime.”
The statement further said that Ohanaeze leadership had set up a committee to assess the cost of the demolished shops and report back to it for transmission to Igbo Governors for further actions.
Ohanaeze also said that Igbo traders at Alaba International Market, had in the course of its engagement with them, enumerated some of their plights in the market which they demanded explanations from the Lagos State Government.
The statement quoted the President of the Alaba International Market (AIM), Chief Camilus Amajuoyi as commending Chief Iwuanyanwu and members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo “for responding to their yearnings over the callousness meted the Igbo population in Alaba market.”
Amajuoyi expressed surprise that soon after their supports to His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on his re-election for a second term in Office, “the authorities of the Lagos State have served them with a calamity that can only be contemplated on an enemy zone in a war time”.
Chief Amajuoyi according to the statement, decried the ordeals of the over one million Igbo traders in Alaba International Market, lamenting despite their contributions to the economy of the state, they were being paid back with persecutions.
“The road to AIM is in a very bad condition. Also, all the road networks in the market are in a detestable condition. The roads are worst during the rainy season as the pot-holes are always filled with water, making it extremely difficult for people to navigate the roads.
“Lagos State authorities marked about three buildings for demolition; according to them, the buildings were distressed and could collapse anytime. Surprisingly, they ended up destroying over thirty buildings at a very short notice. The worst part of the tragedy is that the lands are being resold out with fencings going on. Worst still, the authorities are not contemplating compensations on the properties that were officially purchased with all the relevant documents in place.
“Over two hundred mobile police men were present when the structures were being pulled down indicates that the State Government is aware of the demolition exercise.
“After the imported goods or containers are cleared at the Lagos Wharf, the Agbero or those who claim to be agents of the State Government intercept the goods and sometimes they pay up to Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000) per container before it gets to the warehouse.
“For anybody to build a house on a property he has duly purchased, he pays fees/levy at the foundation level; another fee/levy at the first decking; for any other decking, a fee will be paid; even to put glasses, attracts another levy.
“The customers are daily embarrassed after they have purchased goods from the AIM; the buyer of the goods is levied between five and ten thousand naira without which the goods may be seized or damaged.
“All they need from the State is to streamline or define the rules of engagement with the Alaba businessmen so that they will understand their legitimate boundaries.
“Every corpse of an Igbo that dies in Lagos is always taken to the ancestral home. Therefore, the Igbo in Lagos lay no claim or pretensions over the ownership of Lagos.
” Remarkably, all the properties we occupy in Lagos are never procured by force; we either buy or rent with official legal documents in place.
“We pay all the legitimate dues to the Lagos State, thereby adding values to the economy of the State; why all the indignities?
“The committee that has been set by the state government to investigate into the Alaba tragedy does not have a representative from the Alaba International Market; asking, how can we barb a man in his absence?
“Over one million Igbo young men and women in the AIM are not asking government for any employment; we are self-employed. All we ask the Lagos State Government is the conducive environment for our businesses and a cordial relationship with both our neighbours and the host communities.”
