It was with rude shock and heavy heart that I received the sad news of the illegal demolition of several shops, stores and stalls at Ayangbure Market, Sabo, Ikorodu at the wee hours of Wednesday 3rd/Thursday 4th May 2017 by “unknown people” as being brandished about by people.
I feel extremely grieved that some unscrupulous elements in the society can go to the extreme of demolishing people’s properties without the Lagos State Government approval or court order as the case may be. I was told that the loss of goods and money caused by the illegal demolition was estimated to be well over Two Billion Naira at this economic recession period. It is in this connection that I hereby call on the Lagos State Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to consider and approve the followings:
(1) To constitute a high powered commission of enquiry, headed by a serving or retired high court judge to unravel the mystery over the illegal demolition.
(2) To empower the commission to thoroughly investigate the individual and collective roles of all the authorities and individuals that have one form or the other of power or authority over the administration of the market.
(3) All the contractors that have one form of connection or the other with the building and rebuilding of shops in the market
(4) All past and present developers working on the construction of the shops
(5) All builders that have made proposals for building shops in the market.
(6) All recent and past chairmen/sole administrators/executive secretaries of Ikorodu Central Local Government.
(7) Any state or local government officials that are connected with the building/rebuilding of shops in the market.
(8) All or any market associations or leader(s) of market associations that were/are connected with the building and rebuilding of the shops in the market.
(9) To ascertain the genuine allotees of the shops demolished.
(10) To possibly assess and determine the financial loss of the marketers, whose shops were illegally demolished
I also appeal to Governor Ambode to set machinery in motion to compensate the marketers for their massive loss on compassionate grounds as a Government that has shown consistent concern towards the tragedy of some unfortunate people in the State.
On behalf of myself and the Ayangbure in Council, I convey our feelings to all concerned marketers and assure you of our support in ensuring that justice is done over this unfortunate matter.
Finally, I hereby invoke the spirit of our ancestors and progenitors (Awon Onile Ikorodu) to rise up at once and defend the land.