Tokunbo Wahab defends Trade Fair demolition, insisting the Lagos State Government acted lawfully and within due process despite federal ownership claims

Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, has defended the recent demolitions at the Trade Fair Complex, insisting that the exercise was legal, justified, and backed by due process.

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Wahab’s statement came after Senator Victor Umeh criticised the Lagos State Government’s actions, describing the demolitions as “illegal and beyond its jurisdiction.”

Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, had argued on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief that the Trade Fair Complex was a federal property under the Trade Fair Management Board and therefore outside the control of the Lagos State Government.

“The country is governed by laws and the constitution. I’m disappointed that the Commissioner for Physical Planning in Lagos came on air to justify an illegal action,” Umeh said.

“Federal lands are managed by federal agencies, not state governments.”

Responding in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tokunbo Wahab maintained that the Lagos State Government acted lawfully, stressing that the exercise was not politically motivated but part of a broader campaign to enforce compliance and restore order.

“When it comes to Lagos State, every Tom, Dick, and Harry has an opinion. Was it illegal when Gov. Alex Otti removed contraventions in Abia State?

Was it also illegal when Gov. Soludo removed contraventions in Anambra? Here in Lagos, every of our actions are backed by the law, and we stand by it all,” Wahab said.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, also reaffirmed the state’s position, explaining that the demolition followed repeated violations of building regulations at the complex.

“The Trade Fair Complex had a history of non-compliance and refused to cooperate with voluntary regularisation efforts despite several warnings,” Olumide stated.

“This is about ensuring a livable and organised built environment, not targeting anyone personally.”

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The Lagos State Government has recently intensified its urban renewal and environmental enforcement drive, insisting that it will continue to remove illegal structures to promote safety and urban order across the state.