The recent demolition of properties at the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos State has drawn strong condemnation from Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), who has publicly faulted the action as an illegal exercise of power and a clear breach of jurisdiction by the Lagos State Government.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, the former APGA National Chairman and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, expressed deep disappointment with the state’s justification for the demolitions.
“The issue is about dealing with human beings with consideration of the law. I am disappointed to hear that the Commissioner for Physical Planning in Lagos State came to justify his illegal action,” Senator Umeh stated. “What the Commissioner for Physical Planning in Lagos State did was an affront and a breach of the law.”
Senator Umeh’s main argument rests on the legal status of the land:
- Federal Jurisdiction: Umeh insisted that the Trade Fair Complex is a Federal Government establishment and that the land is federally owned. He explained that federal lands are recorded in the Federal Land Registry in Ikoyi, not the state’s registry in Alausa, meaning Lagos authorities have no legal grounds to take action on the property.
- Trade Fair Board’s Role: He affirmed that the Trade Fair Management Board has historically been the sole authority responsible for administering the complex, including granting development approvals, collecting ground rent, and assessing property rates.
- Lack of Notice: The Senator described the demolition carried out on September 25th as an “intrusion,” noting that neither the Management Board nor the affected traders were notified or questioned prior to the arrival of the heavy machinery.
- Approvals Insisted: Umeh dismissed claims that the affected buildings lacked approval or were erected on canals, insisting that “All those buildings that were erected there were approved by the Trade Fair Management Board.”
In his view, the Lagos State Government’s sudden entry into the complex to destroy citizens’ investments, after years of not exercising any regulatory function there, demonstrates a profound disregard for the rule of law.
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