- The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that it is crucial to confirm that a POWA property, originally allocated to police officers’ wives and relatives, is scheduled for demolition.
- Traders had earlier protested against the planned demolition, disrupting commercial activities at the complex on Friday.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) commenced destruction of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) commercial complex in Lagos’ Ikeja neighbourhood early Sunday, December 31.
Four excavators and highly armed police officers were said to have arrived at the shopping centre before midnight.
Police officials had stated that the planned destruction was done in good faith and in the best interests of all parties involved.
On Saturday, the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that it has become critical to fully establish that the complex, a POWA property that was formally designated to spouses of police personnel and their family, has been scheduled for demolition.
According to him, the demolition is to enable the police to commence immediate construction of a modern shopping complex on the same land.
Earlier, traders at the complex have been protesting against the intended demolition, causing a disruption in commercial activities at the complex on Friday.
Shops and stores were operational on Thursday, but on Friday, the gates leading to the complex were locked due to the protest. Traders, led by the complex’s management, displayed a banner with a court injunction aimed at preventing the demolition.