Igbo Town Unions Petition UN, ECOWAS Over Lagos Property Demolitions

The Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU) has petitioned the United Nations (UN) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the alleged systematic demolition of properties belonging to Igbo residents in Lagos State.

In a statement released on Saturday, February 15, 2025, ASITU National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, condemned what he described as a deliberate and targeted expropriation of Igbo-owned businesses and properties by the Lagos State Government.

ASITU cited the recent demolition of trading plazas at Ebute Ero Market on Friday, February 14, 2025, as part of a broader pattern of injustice against Igbos in Lagos.

“The demolition of lawfully acquired properties belonging to Igbo businessmen in Lagos is an assault on justice, equality, and the fundamental principles of property rights. These properties were legally authorized by the same government that is now masterminding their destruction,” Chief Diwe stated.

He further described the demolitions as an extension of historical injustices suffered by the Igbo people in Nigeria, warning that such actions cannot and will not be tolerated any longer.

Due to what it calls the failure of Nigerian institutions to address these grievances, ASITU has formally petitioned several international bodies, urging them to intervene and hold the Lagos State Government accountable. These include:

• United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC): To investigate Lagos State’s actions as potential violations of fundamental human rights, including the right to property and protection against targeted dispossession.
• African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR): To hold Nigeria accountable under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees the protection of property rights for all citizens.
• ECOWAS Court of Justice: To seek legal redress for affected individuals whose rights have been violated under regional human rights laws.
• Amnesty International & Human Rights Watch: To document these alleged abuses and raise global awareness of the plight of Igbos facing targeted property destruction in Lagos.

ASITU also used the opportunity to urge Igbos in the diaspora to embrace the Aku Ruo Ulo investment initiative, which promotes redirecting a portion of Igbo wealth and businesses to the Southeast region.

“This is not just a legal battle—it is a fight for justice, dignity, and equal citizenship in a country that belongs to all Nigerians. The world is watching, and the international community cannot stand by while an ethnic group is systematically dispossessed under the guise of governance,” the statement added.

The Lagos State Government has yet to respond to these allegations.