Says repeated fires, demolitions threaten unity, livelihoods, and investor confidence
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed deep concern over what it described as a disturbing pattern of fires and demolition exercises affecting markets and commercial hubs largely populated by Igbo traders in Lagos, warning that the trend risks fanning ethnic tension and undermining national stability.
The rights group’s statement came in the wake of Tuesday’s inferno at the Alaba International Market, Ojo, which destroyed shops and warehouses containing goods worth billions of naira. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its personnel were on the scene, but viral videos showed traders in tears as flames consumed their investments and livelihoods.
“This is not just another market fire — it is part of a troubling pattern of economic displacement that appears to target a section of the country’s business community,” HURIWA said in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko.
The association called for an independent investigation to determine the actual cause of the fire, the response time of emergency services, and whether negligence or sabotage played any role.
HURIWA noted that the Alaba incident followed recent demolitions by the Lagos State Government at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, despite appeals for dialogue and phased redevelopment.
Similar government actions, the group said, had been carried out in Abule Ado, Alaba Rago, Ikota, and Lekki, displacing thousands of traders — most of them of southeastern origin.
“When such incidents keep recurring in the same communities without transparent explanation, it naturally breeds suspicion of bias and selective enforcement,” the group warned. “That perception alone is dangerous for national cohesion.”
HURIWA linked the current climate of mistrust to a series of ethnically charged statements during and after the 2023 elections, citing remarks by Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, who infamously urged Igbos to “stay away from Lagos politics.”
The group also referenced threats by transport union leader MC Oluomo, who warned non-supporters of the ruling party to stay away from the 2023 polls — statements that drew public outrage but little action from authorities.
“The failure of security agencies to prosecute those who stoke ethnic hate has created a culture of impunity,” HURIWA lamented. “It sends the message that some groups can act above the law.”
The group urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to publicly reassure residents that no section of the state is being singled out for economic displacement or punitive regulation.
HURIWA also called for a comprehensive audit of all recent demolitions and fires, and for compensation to be paid to legitimate business owners affected without due process.
“Lagos thrives on diversity — it was built by every Nigerian,” the statement read. “To allow politics or prejudice to reshape that legacy would be tragic and unconstitutional.”
HURIWA warned that the recurring destruction of key commercial centers not only devastates livelihoods but also erodes investor confidence and deepens social fragmentation.
“The Federal Government, the National Human Rights Commission, and the National Assembly must not remain silent,” it added. “Economic justice is the bedrock of peace — once people begin to feel excluded or deliberately targeted, instability is inevitable.”
The group further praised Lagos’s founding communities for their long-standing tradition of inclusivity, urging them to resist attempts by “political actors” to exploit ethnic differences for electoral gain.
“Lagos has always been a symbol of unity and shared prosperity,” HURIWA concluded. “Those who seek to turn it into a theatre of ethnic resentment are not just endangering the city’s soul — they are endangering Nigeria.”