The Lagos State Government has demolished the Alaba Rago Market, a well-known commercial hub largely occupied by Northern Nigerian traders who have conducted business there for over five decades.
Authorities explained that the decision was taken because the market had expanded excessively into the city, creating congestion and disorder in the surrounding area.
Traders, however, expressed outrage, lamenting that they were not given prior notice before the demolition. “We have spent more than 50 years building this market. We struggled to establish our businesses here. Yet, in a single day, everything was demolished without any notice. We counted no fewer than 40 mosques destroyed,” one trader said.
The demolition has triggered intense emotions and raised pressing concerns about compensation, resettlement, and the impact on ethnic relations in Lagos.
