 has petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the ECOWAS Court){kind=link}
By:Abdullahi Inuwa
The Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU) has petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice, accusing the Lagos State Government of overseeing what it described as the “systematic demolition” of properties owned by Igbo traders and investors.
In the petition dated October 25, ASITU alleged that the demolitions, which have affected several commercial and residential structures in Lagos, were being carried out without due process, compensation, or clear justification — a development it says amounts to “targeted economic persecution.”
The group expressed concern that the actions threaten inter-ethnic harmony, property rights, and Nigeria’s unity, calling for international intervention to halt further demolitions and ensure justice for affected citizens.
“We have exhausted all internal mechanisms to seek redress, but the silence of relevant authorities has left us with no option but to appeal to the conscience of the international community,” the petition stated.
ASITU urged the UN, ECOWAS, and the African Commission to investigate the matter and compel Nigerian authorities to uphold constitutional protections for property ownership and human rights.
The Lagos State Government has yet to respond to the allegations, though officials have previously maintained that recent demolitions were part of efforts to clear illegal structures and restore urban order.
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