The Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU) has escalated its protest over the demolition of shops and properties belonging to Igbo traders in Lagos, petitioning multiple international and regional rights bodies, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
Speaking in Umuahia, ASITU National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, described the demolitions as “economic cleansing,” accusing Lagos authorities of targeting Igbo-owned businesses under the guise of urban regulation.
“Nigeria is dying slowly from the cancer of ethnic discrimination and selective justice,” Diwe said, flanked by executives representing Igbo communities across the country. He said the group took the issue beyond Nigeria because past efforts to engage domestic institutions “yielded no response.”
“We have done this not because we lack faith in Nigerian institutions, but because those institutions have failed to address our documented grievances,” he said.
The Lagos State Government has repeatedly defended its demolition actions by saying that many of the affected structures were erected along waterways, drainage channels, and right-of-way corridors. ASITU rejected that justification, insisting that most of the affected properties were legally acquired and had valid government approvals.
“Many of the demolished buildings had valid approvals from the same Lagos State Government that later destroyed them,” Diwe said. “This is not law enforcement; it is the erasure of livelihoods and the violation of constitutional guarantees meant to protect all Nigerians.”
He argued that the pattern of demolitions sends “a dangerous message” to local and foreign investors.
“They send a message to investors that property rights in Nigeria are not secure and that ethnic sentiments may influence government actions,” he said. “This undermines investor confidence, economic growth, job creation, and Nigeria’s reputation as a country governed by the rule of law.”
ASITU also accused Lagos authorities of carrying out demolitions with little or no notice, in some cases issuing quit or demolition notices so close to execution that owners could neither seek injunctions nor retrieve their goods. The group further alleged that officials ignored documents presented by shop and property owners, including Certificates of Occupancy and planning permits.
The association urged affected Igbo traders and landlords to remain calm and law-abiding, warning against retaliatory action or inflammatory rhetoric.
At the same time, ASITU made a broader economic call to the Igbo business community: reinvest in the South-East.
“To the Igbo business community, do not be discouraged. Embrace the philosophy of Aku Ruo Ulo — let wealth return home,” Diwe said. “Build industries and invest in Igboland so that our homeland becomes an economic powerhouse that commands respect and security.”
Diwe stressed that ASITU’s position is not a separatist one, but a demand for fairness, security of investment, and equal treatment for all Nigerians regardless of ethnicity.
“Our demand for justice is not about secession,” he said. “It is about building economic resilience and promoting mutual respect, unity, and prosperity across Nigeria.”
ASITU says it expects the UN, ECOWAS and the African regional human rights system to investigate the alleged discrimination, pressure authorities to halt further demolitions, and push for compensation for those already affected.
