Igbo Town Unions Petition UN and ECOWAS Court Over Demolition of Igbo Traders’ Properties in Lagos

The Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU) has petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and the ECOWAS Court of Justice over what it described as the persistent and targeted demolition of shops and properties belonging to Igbo traders and investors in Lagos State.

In petitions submitted earlier this month, ASITU accused the Lagos State Government of engaging in actions that violate the rights of Igbo residents to property ownership, equality, and freedom from discrimination. The group said the demolition exercises were “selective, unlawful, and targeted at a specific ethnic group,” noting that all affected structures were lawfully acquired with valid government approvals.

The move follows a series of demolitions that began in early 2025, including the pulling down of trading plazas at the Ebute Ero Market on February 14 and several warehouses and shops at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex in Ojo. ASITU said that despite numerous appeals to state authorities to halt the demolitions and compensate victims, their efforts were ignored—prompting the decision to take the matter before international human rights bodies.

According to ASITU’s National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, the organization decided to approach the international community after what he called “the continued silence of the Federal Government and the indifference of Lagos authorities to the plight of Igbo traders.”

“We have exhausted all domestic remedies. These demolitions are not mere urban renewal projects; they represent a pattern of economic and ethnic victimization,” Diwe stated.

The petition, addressed separately to the UN, ACHPR, and ECOWAS Court, alleges that the Lagos State Government’s demolition policy disproportionately targets Igbo-owned businesses. The group contends that the actions contravene multiple provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and international human rights conventions guaranteeing the right to own property and engage in trade without discrimination.

ASITU further called for an independent international investigation and demanded reparations for affected business owners. It warned that continued demolition of Igbo investments in Lagos could inflame ethnic tensions and threaten national unity.

Lagos Government’s Response

Responding to the allegations, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, denied that the demolitions were ethnically motivated. He explained that the actions were part of an ongoing effort to ensure safety, restore order, and enforce urban planning regulations across the state.

Olumide said, “The Lagos State Government does not target any ethnic group. The structures demolished were either illegally erected, built without approval, or situated on right-of-way. The enforcement is about compliance, not ethnicity.”