The Igbo National Union Worldwide (INU-W) has voiced deep concern over the continued demolition of properties and businesses belonging to Igbo individuals in Lagos State. The union specifically faulted the Federal Government and prominent Yoruba leaders for their silence regarding the issue.
In a statement signed by Administrative Secretary Mazi Austin-Mary Ndukwu, the INU-W warned that the demolitions, combined with the indifference of federal authorities, threaten to undermine national harmony and ignite ethnic tension if not addressed quickly.
The group implored President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call to order the Lagos State Government, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and influential Yoruba figures, arguing that targeting the economic interests of the Igbo community in Lagos will have serious consequences.
The union claimed that the state government’s recent demolition exercises have disproportionately affected Igbo entrepreneurs, leading to concerns of ethnic bias. The INU-W accused the Lagos government of pursuing a “dangerous agenda” designed to economically displace Igbos and frustrate their contributions to the city’s growth.
The statement noted that the demolitions have “caused anguish and despair” and are viewed as “deliberate attempts to weaken our people economically,” while the continued silence from federal and Yoruba leaders “only emboldens this troubling trend.”
The INU-W urged President Tinubu to intervene to ensure the immediate halt of “lopsided and discriminatory demolitions,” emphasizing that Igbos are legitimate stakeholders who have immensely contributed to Lagos’s development.
Additionally, the union issued a 30-day ultimatum for the Lagos State Government to enter into genuine dialogue with the affected property owners to find an amicable solution. The statement concluded by warning that a failure to engage in discussions could lead the union to take “appropriate and lawful steps” to defend their community’s dignity and economic survival, stressing that sustained hostility could provoke an “avoidable confrontation.”
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