NEWS
Why We Demolished Alaba International Market – Lagos Govt
The Lagos state government has clarified that the recent demolition of distressed buildings in Alaba International Market, Ojo Local Council, was not a witch-hunt or an attempt to acquire the land but to save lives.
Gbolahan Oki, the general manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), made this statement during an on-the-spot assessment of the demolition site on Saturday.
The inspection took place amid heavy rainfall and was attended by Kehinde Osinaike, the counterpart from Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), and the seven-member committee appointed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu following the demolition.
The group, led by Oluwole Sotire, permanent secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, conducted the visit.
In response to allegations of tribal bias surrounding the demolition exercise, South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma, met with Governor Sanwo-Olu to address and resolve the concerns.
During the on-the-spot assessment, Mr. Oki clarified that the demolition was carried out to enforce building regulations and laws, with the primary aim of preventing building collapses.
He further explained that a significant number of the demolished buildings did not have the required permits, and the necessary documentation mandated by the state government was disregarded.
He said “All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.
“I have seen people painting buildings that are delapidated, that are not good, it is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important.”
Mr Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else government would move in to take action.
“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.
He stated that Governor Sanwo-Olu established the seven-man committee with the aim of addressing the demolition concerns in Alaba International Market without causing any discord among the traders.
Mr. Oki emphasized that LASBCA officials often faced hindrances when trying to enforce building laws, especially from individuals who failed to obtain proper building plan approvals or engaged in illegal property conversions.
Despite facing challenging conditions like flash floods during the on-site assessment, the LASBCA boss managed to issue a stop work order to a contractor from Ojo Local Government to facilitate a peaceful resolution of all related issues.
Additionally, Mr. Oki assured the protesters, who were carrying placards expressing their grievances, that the government had their interests in mind.
To expedite the resolution of matters, the government appointed an additional 17-man sub-committee, including representatives from the market leadership, dedicated to handling the issues at hand.
Mr. Oki provided an explanation for the demolition of distressed buildings and highlighted the necessity for some traders to undergo regularization processes.
He pointed out that one of the reasons for the demolition was the problem of land grabbers illegally selling the same land to multiple people which created complications and conflicts that needed to be addressed.
Additionally, he stated that there was a need to rectify haphazard development within the area.
Before visiting the market, Mr. Oki and his team held a meeting with the leadership of Alaba International Market traders at the LASBCA head office in Ikeja GRA.
The market leaders, who were also members of the seven-man technical committee established to investigate the demolition issues in Alaba International Market, discussed the appropriate course of action going forward.
The LASBCA boss elaborated on the processes and procedures governing laws on physical developments and emphasized the importance of complying with regulations.
He made it clear that the government’s decisions were not influenced by ethnic considerations but solely driven by the objective of preventing building collapses and ensuring the safety of traders and all Nigerians.
Chris Maduka, the secretary to the seven-man technical committee on Alaba International demolition, expressed appreciation for the government’s actions in cleaning up the market.
He stated that the measures taken had brought the committee members and the government closer together.
Furthermore, he highlighted that these actions were in the best interest of everyone, as they aimed to protect traders from exploitation by touts who collected conflicting taxes and illegal levies from them.
During the on-the-spot assessment at the market, Maduka appealed for the cooperation and understanding of the traders who were affected by the demolition exercise.
He emphasized that resorting to protests or violence would defeat the very purpose for which Governor Sanwo-Olu set up the Committee in the first place.
Some of the affected traders, holding placards with various inscriptions, pleaded with Mr. Sanwo-Olu to expedite the assignment of the committee to enable them to regain their means of livelihood.
They expressed their desire for a swift resolution to the situations and resume their businesses.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.
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