Lagos Govt Says Not Behind Demolition of POWA Complex
The Lagos State Government has said it has nothing to do with the demolition of POWA Complex in Computer Village, Ikeja, the state capital.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, the state pointed out that the shipping complex is owned by the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), which ordered its demolition.
“Those circulating the fake news that Lagos State Government is demolishing Computer Village are opportunistic ethnic chauvinists who will always relish in vacuous propaganda that can fuel their fiendish mission; they will always fail in dividing Lagosians,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Castles Lifestyle reported that the demolition of POWA Complex was supervised by heavily armed policemen who stormed the site in several patrol vans.
According to an eyewitness, the exercise occurred while many traders with goods and belongings in the complex were away from Lagos for the Christmas holidays.
Reports show that the traders had been given a 24-hour eviction notice in addition to notices issued since 2019.
Police Give Reason for POWA Complex Demolition
In a statement on Saturday, the Police stated that the demolition of the shopping complex which belongs to the wives of police officers was to allow the “immediate construction of a modern shopping complex on the same land”.
The statement was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
It read in part, “The decision to demolish and reconstruct is predicated on the fact that professional opinion indicates that the structure as it is constitutes a looming environmental hazard, as the site is prone to flood, and may be susceptible to sudden collapse, hence the need for immediate landscaping and reconstruction. The planned demolition and reconstruction will be in phases and are in good faith for the betterment of all concerned.
“All necessary legal requirements have been duly met. The current occupants of the complex have been given more than enough notice of the demolition to enable their evacuation from the facility in good time, and necessary steps have been taken to temporarily accommodate them within the same complex while the reconstruction lasts. Equally, the relevant Lagos State Government agency, according to its expert advice, has been approached, required help sought, and necessary approvals for demolition obtained.
“While the demolition will proceed as planned, Nigerians are hereby urged to disregard frivolous claims, unsubstantiated protests, and media blackmail alleging wrongdoing and illegality on the part of the Force or the POWA. The Police and its affiliates, like the POWA, will always be committed to better welfare and standard of living for its personnel and their families.”
