Benjamin Kalu Lagos demolition comments urge Tinubu to halt Trade Fair demolitions and give traders time to regularise their property documents

Benjamin Kalu Lagos demolition comments have drawn attention nationwide after the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives described the ongoing destruction of buildings at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex as “heartbreaking.”

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Speaking on Friday during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Abia State for the commissioning of projects executed by Governor Alex Otti, Kalu said the demolition “makes our hearts bleed.”

President Tinubu was represented at the event by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.

“Mr President, I also want to say that the destruction, demolition of the houses and offices of our brothers in Lagos makes our hearts bleed,” Kalu said, appealing for presidential intervention in the exercise.

The Deputy Speaker urged President Tinubu to engage the Lagos State Government and give affected property owners time to regularise their documents instead of losing their investments.

“For some of them who have not gotten the right document, my plea is to appeal to the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to keep accommodating our brothers,” he said.

“Let them come into the room and find a way of regularising some of these documents. It bleeds our hearts that in this hard time, houses are being destroyed.”

Kalu expressed confidence that President Tinubu, whom he described as a leader “who cares for the Igbos,” would consider the concerns of traders affected by the demolition.

He also called on the Federal Government to prioritise port development in the South East, stressing that the region’s economy depends heavily on trade and logistics.

The demolition, which began on September 25, targeted illegal and structurally unsafe buildings within the Trade Fair Complex.

The operation involved multiple Lagos State agencies, including the Ministry of Physical Planning, Building Control Agency, Urban Renewal Agency, and Physical Planning Permit Authority.

However, Kalu’s remarks reflect growing frustration among business owners, many of whom claim they were not given adequate notice or opportunity to address documentation issues before the demolition began.

As the debate continues, traders and residents await a possible response from the presidency or the Lagos State Government to the Deputy Speaker’s heartfelt appeal