The livelihoods of several mechanics in Lagos were crushed on Friday following the demolition of the automobile market located at First Gate, Agidingbi, Ikeja, by officials of the state government’s taskforce.
A video that went viral on Saturday, shared by X user @chude_, captured scenes of frustration as affected workers accused Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration of tribal bias.
Others lamented that they were given insufficient notice to vacate the premises and were not offered any form of compensation.
Confirming the demolition, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, stated that the land in question is owned by the Lagos State Government, which reserves the right to reclaim it at any time without providing justification.
Addressing claims by one of the displaced workers that the Ojodu Local Government had sold the land to them over three decades ago, Akosile dismissed the allegation as false.
“Can anybody send you away from something you bought? They would have gone to court to stop it,” he said.
Mr Akosile explained: “Let me tell you what usually happens. There’s an expanse of land. Mechanics, through their association, lease it because the government doesn’t want miscreants to take over the space. It’s better to let the mechanics use it as a workshop.
“But when the government decides to use it for something more productive and purposeful, they inform them to vacate. They don’t even need to give a reason. That’s generally what happens.”
In response to allegations from some workers that they were given only two days’ notice, Mr Akosile denied the claim, explaining that his own mechanic, who works at the same market, had informed him that the market leadership had been notified well in advance but failed to relay the information to the workers.
“I can bet my life they weren’t given just two days, it’s not possible,” Mr Akosile said. “Which government types a letter and gives only two days’ notice? I passed there yesterday.
“That’s where my personal mechanic works. He told me they were sent away. I asked what happened. He said, ‘Don’t mind our chairmen.
“They held meetings with government officials and got the notice, but didn’t tell us.’ This is what my mechanic told me. People lie so much against the government.”
However, Mr Akosile assured that he would seek further details from the taskforce leadership responsible for the demolition and provide an update.
