The Nigeria Police Force has said it will go ahead with the planned demolition of the shopping complex belonging to the Police Officers Wives Association in Ikeja, Lagos State, despite what it described as “frivolous claims, unsubstantiated protests, and media blackmail” by the affected traders.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement on Saturday that the NPF had been inundated with inquiries concerning the planned demolition of the POWA Shopping Complex in Ikeja.
Adejobi said, “It has become imperative to properly establish that the complex, a property of the Nigeria Police Officer’s Wives Association, which is officially allocated to wives of police officers and their relatives, has been scheduled for demolition.
“This is to enable the Force to commence immediate construction of a modern shopping complex on the same land.”
According to Adejobi, the decision to demolish and reconstruct the complex was “predicated on the fact that professional opinion indicates that the structure as it is constitutes a looming environmental hazard.”
The FPRO added that the “site is prone to flooding and may be susceptible to sudden collapse, hence the need for immediate landscaping and reconstruction.”
The planned demolition and reconstruction, he said, will be in phases, adding that it is in good faith for the betterment of all concerned.
“All necessary legal requirements have been duly met. The current occupants of the complex have been given more than enough notice of the demolition to enable their evacuation from the facility in good time, and necessary steps have been taken to temporarily accommodate them within the same complex while the reconstruction lasts.
“Equally, the relevant Lagos State Government agency, according to its expert advice, has been approached, required help sought, and necessary approvals for demolition obtained,” he stated.
Adejobi warned the traders against what he called frivolous claims, unsubstantiated protests, and media blackmail during the demolition exercise.
The traders had, on December 19, embarked on a protest, opposing the alleged plan by POWA to demolish the complex.
The chairman of the Computer Dealer Association, Tayo Shittu, claimed during the protest that the traders pay between N300,000 and N400,000 a year, alleging that the Police Wives Association wanted to destroy the shops out of selfish interest.
Shittu added that when they reached out to POWA, the association denied knowing anything about the demolition.
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