Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the recent demolition of the Aspamda Market and other business areas in Lagos largely occupied by Igbo traders, describing the act as a great injustice and a failure of compassionate governance.
In a public statement titled “Lagos Demolitions: Law, Justice, and Compassion,” Obi said he was saddened by the level of destruction he witnessed during his visit to the demolished market. He stated that the actions of the Lagos authorities went beyond enforcing the law — they revealed a disturbing lack of empathy and fairness towards hardworking citizens, particularly the Igbos, whose businesses form a vital part of Lagos’s economy.
Obi argued that even if there were issues with building approvals, demolition should never have been the only response. He said that government could have allowed the affected traders to regularize their papers or find other solutions instead of wiping out their lifetime investments. According to him, “The law must protect human dignity, not destroy it. When enforcement becomes an excuse to inflict pain, it loses its purpose”
The former Anambra governor recalled his experience in the United Kingdom, where squatters once occupied his property. He explained that even in that situation, the law required proper legal process — not demolition — showing how compassion and justice must work together.
Obi condemned the continued targeting of Igbo businesses in Lagos under the guise of “urban development,” saying it sends a dangerous message of ethnic bias and intolerance. He warned that no society can claim to be lawful or progressive while treating a section of its citizens as outsiders.
He emphasized that governance must balance law with mercy, insisting that true justice must be humane. Obi added that the Lagos demolitions were not only a legal misstep but also a moral failure, as they destroyed livelihoods and deepened ethnic mistrust.
He called on Nigerian leaders to act with fairness and humanity, reminding them that “the true character of leadership is shown in how the powerful treat the powerless.” Obi reaffirmed his hope for “a new Nigeria where every group — including Ndigbo in Lagos — will be treated with dignity, equality, and compassion.
