By Pascal Ibe

Claim

A user on the X platform shared a video showing the demolition of a market in Lagos with the claim that Igbos’ properties are being destroyed without compensation recently.

Verdict

This claim is MISLEADING. It was a video from the 2023 demolition of Alaba market in Lagos State and NOT recent. The government gave reasons that different parts of the buildings that were looking physically distressed had vacation notices as far back as 2016, 2020, 2022, and several others were issued this year, 2023.

Full Text

Tribalism and ethnic hate constitute one of the most profound and persistent challenges to Nigeria’s unity, stability, and development. Far from being a simple social friction, it is a deeply entrenched phenomenon with complex historical roots, exacerbated by political manipulation, economic disparities, and a pervasive “us vs. them” mentality. Understanding its nuances is critical for appreciating the socio-political landscape of Africa’s most populous nation.

On social media, many people now use any means to malign or mock other tribes, most especially in cases of crime.

FACTWATCH Nigeria has, on several occasions, fact-checked claims relating to this here and here.

Lamenting the alleged supersession of Igbos in Lagos State, Nigeria’s Southwest region, a user on the X platform has shared a video showing the demolition of a market in Lagos with the claim that Igbos’ properties are being destroyed without compensation.

An X user, ChinasaNworu shared the 2-minute video showing the demolished buildings alongside a caption that reads, “Our Igbo brothers in Lagos will never learn , they like to learn the hard way . Every now and then their business worth millions of Naira are destroyed and no compensation , yet they’re not thinking going back to their Biafraland to invest

Many people who commented on the post believed that this was a recent incident and expressed sadness.

The post had already generated 9k views with over 500 reposts and more than 422 likes, according to X analytics.

Verification

First, in the video, a male voice, while expressing anger, noted that the Lagos government only gave them two days’ notice before the demolition of Alaba market. The male voice stated that the demolition was carried out on 18th June 2023. This indicates that the video from 2 years ago, was recycled as recent.

FACTWATCH Nigeria did a Google keyword search to verify this video further.

Results from the search led us to a Channels TV report which confirmed that the incident happened in June 2023.

According to the report, the General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Arc. Gbolahan Oki said the Lagos government has commenced the demolition of 17 distressed structures at Alaba Market in the Ojo area of the state.

“The marked inscriptions from LASBCA seen on different parts of the buildings that were looking physically distressed had vacation notices as far back as 2016, 2020, 2022, and several others issued to this year, 2023,” the Lagos State Government wrote in a post on its website.

Oki, who decried the rate of harassment meted out to officials of the agency at different times in the past, said that seven years’ notice was enough for the occupants of the buildings marked for demolition to vacate the structures and comply with the notices issued by LASBCA and other government agencies.”

“These buildings marked within this ALABA International Market would have been included in the list of 349 distressed buildings earlier published in different national newspapers this year but because the occupants were always harassing our officers, it was impossible to capture the details of the structures and include them in the publication,” he said.

Watch a video of the demolition from Channels TV in 2023 here.

See other publications relating to this here and here.

Conclusion

To engage in tribalistic activities, the X user deliberately recirculates an old video from 2023 to mislead his followers.