The Lagos State Government has demolished the Alaba Rago Market, a popular trading hub largely occupied by Northern traders, bringing an end to more than 50 years of commercial activity at the site.
Officials said the move was necessary due to the market’s uncontrolled expansion, which they claimed had caused congestion and disorder in the surrounding area.
But traders expressed anger and disappointment, alleging they were not given prior notice before the demolition began.
“We have spent over 50 years building this market. We struggled to establish our businesses here, but in a single day everything was demolished without warning. No fewer than 40 mosques were destroyed,” one trader lamented.
The demolition has sparked strong emotions, raising fresh questions about compensation, resettlement, and its wider implications for ethnic relations in Lagos.