Hundreds of shop owners and market leaders from the Owode Onirin Motor Spare Parts Market stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing demolition of their market.

The protesters, who marched from the Lagos State Fire Service headquarters, displayed placards with messages such as, “Sanwo-Olu, call LASBCA and its thugs to order”, “No prior notice of market relocation”, and “Babajide Sanwo-Olu, save our souls”, among others.

Our correspondent reports that the protesters sang solidarity songs as they marched to the gate of the assembly complex in Ikeja and called on the state lawmakers to intervene.

TheNigerian Metro recalls that some government officials had demolished parts of the market along Ikorodu Road at around 4:00 a.m. on March 6, 2025.

Many shop owners claimed they were unaware of the exercise, which resulted in losses worth billions of naira, with goods looted and properties destroyed.

Speaking at the protest, the market’s president general, Abiodun Ahmed, expressed outrage over the lack of prior notification.

“We saw the police, LASBCA, and the army arrive at the market. They demolished over 500 shops, including my three shops. I have lost everything. This was done without any notice,” he said.

Ahmed claimed that the demolition had already claimed lives, with three members dead and several others hospitalised.

He added, “How do we provide for our families when our only means of livelihood has been taken away by the same government that should be protecting us? We don’t want violence. That’s why we have come to the House of Assembly.

“At least, three of our members have lost their lives as a result of this demolition. Many of our members are in the hospital. Where do we start from? We want the state government to come and help us.

“We can’t survive like this. Our families’ livelihood is at risk. How do we take care of them if our only means of livelihood has been pulled down by the government that is supposed to protect us? We don’t want to fight. That’s why we have come to this state house of assembly.”

A market executive, Samuel Oluwole Gaba, further described the demolition as devastating.

He said, “We have 41,000 traders in this market. Then, one morning, they just came and destroyed everything without notice. We are pleading with the governor and the speaker to come to our aid.

“Where do they want us to go now? Do they want us to start driving buses and riding motorcycles? Or, do they want to turn into hoodlums? They demolished shops, mosques and other structures in the market.”

Another protester, Alarape Oluwasegun, noted that the market had existed since 1979 and attracted traders from across Nigeria and beyond.

He said, “People from other countries come here to buy spare parts. Now, without warning, large parts of the market have been demolished. We don’t understand what is happening, which is why we are protesting peacefully.”

Shop owners also raised concerns over alleged looting that followed the demolition.

“After they tore down our shops, hoodlums stole our machines. Everything was taken,” an elderly trader, Balogun, lamented.

Addressing the protesters, Adebola Shabi, representing Lagos Mainland Constituency II, assured them of justice.

“This is your house. I can assure you that we will invite all stakeholders, investigate the matter, and give it accelerated attention,” he said.

TheNigerian Metro reports that a similar pattern of late-night market demolitions was observed at the Police Officers’ Wives Association Shopping Complex in Computer Village, Ikeja.

Traders at the complex also decried their sudden displacement, accusing the government of carrying out the demolition on December 30, 2025, without prior notice or the presence of shop owners.

Following the attainment of majority status in the Edo State House of Assembly by the All Progressives Congress, APC, a group under the aegis of Edo North Conscience, ENC, has called for the impeachment of Hon. Blessing Agbebaku as Speaker of the House.

According to report the group made the call in a statement barely 24 hours after the leadership of the state chapter of APC wrote to the Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, notifying him and the House that the party’s lawmakers now constitute the majority in the Assembly.

The statement was signed by the group’s chairman, Mr Oshioke Aledeh, and Secretary, Mr Tunde Balogun, after a stakeholders’ meeting and was made available to newsmen in Benin City.

It said the call became necessary following the defection of four opposition members of the House to the ruling APC in the state.

“As it stands now, APC is the majority in the House with 13 members, while PDP has 11. This gives APC an edge over other parties regarding the principal officers of the House.

“Last week, three PDP lawmakers and one Labour Party lawmaker defected to the APC. The defected lawmakers are Donald Okogbe (PDP, Akoko-Edo II), Sunday Ojiezele (PDP, Esan South-East Constituency), Richard Edosa (LP, Oredo West), and Bright Iyamu (PDP, Orhionmwon II).

“So, based on this, the APC should take the position of Speaker and other principal offices in the House. They should commence the process of removing Hon. Agbebaku to pave the way for an APC Speaker in the House,” the statement read.

The group opined that Blessing Agbebaku’s continued retention of the speakership position, despite belonging to a minority party, is not in the best interest of the House and the state.

It, however, vowed to initiate an impeachment process that could ultimately lead to Hon. Agbebaku’s removal as Speaker, asserting that “despite pretending to be at home with Governor Monday Okpebholo, his loyalty is still with the PDP.”

According to report the state APC leadership had, on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, written a letter to the Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, notifying him of the party’s majority status in the Assembly.

Agbebaku, who read the letter from the APC, confirmed that the party had attained majority status in the Assembly following the defection of the four opposition members.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, by the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule.

Amaewhule said the Assembly would abide by the president’s decision, even though it was not what they had hoped for.

“We assure our constituents that we will abide by this declaration, even though it is not what we prayed for. Mr. President has acted in the best interest of the country,” Amaewhule said.

The Speaker blamed Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the crisis in Rivers State, accusing him of ignoring court judgments and failing to govern in line with the constitution.

“The condition of our dear Rivers State today is mainly because of the malfeasance of the governor, who serially disobeyed court judgments and obstructed the Rivers State House of Assembly,” he stated.

Amaewhule called on residents to remain calm and cooperate with the Sole Administrator appointed by the president to oversee the affairs of the state.

“We urge everyone to remain calm as the Sole Administrator assumes duty. Rest assured that the Assembly will give him all the necessary support to restore order,” he added.

The Speaker also thanked the people of the state for their patience, prayers and support during this period of emergency.

On Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for six months.

He said the decision was taken to restore stability in the state that has been witnessing political turmoil as a result of the disagreement between the state governor and the state lawmakers.

Following his declaration, the president appointed a former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibokette Ibas, as an administrator for Rivers State.

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has urged Nigeria’s National Assembly to reverse Siminalayi Fubara’s removal as Rivers State Governor, describing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state as reckless and unconstitutional.

Obi made this known in a statement released on his X account on Wednesday.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, made the comment following President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday.

According to report Tinubu cited unresolved crises, a breakdown of law and order, insecurity, and an explosion as reasons for his decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers.

He further suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, for six months.

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President Tinubu announced that Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas is the administrator of Rivers State.

Tinubu’s decision has sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians.

Reacting, Obi said Tinubu’s decision would plunge the country back into a state of lawlessness.

He, therefore, called on the National Assembly and other stakeholders to overturn President Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

“The unilateral decision of President Bola Tinubu to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State from office is not only unconstitutional but also reckless.

It has plunged us back into a state of lawlessness, undoing the progress we have made in these 26 years of democracy.

By disregarding the rule of law, the President has shown a dangerous willingness to trample on democracy,” he said.

“I appeal to the National Assembly and all stakeholders not to allow this to stand, as it only deepens the culture of impunity and brigandage already threatening our democracy,” he added.

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has written to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, to notify him of the majority of its members in the House.

According to report the letter from APC was read on Tuesday by the Speaker during a plenary sitting.

He said the letter personally addressed to him, was titled, “Notification of APC majority status in the Edo State House of Assembly”.

The letter was read in part: “I write to formally notify you that the APC has attained the Majority status in the Edo State House of Assembly following the defection of the following members from their respective party to APC

“Hon Bright Iyamu, Orhionmwon II, from PDP to APC, Hon Richard Edosa, representing Oredo West constituency on the platform of Labour Party has also decamped to APC.

“Hon Chief Sunday Ojiezele, Esan South-East constituency decamped from PDP to APC and Hon Roland Okogbe, Akoko-Edo II, from PDP to APC.

“At the appropriate time the party shall notify your office of the consequential effect of the present reality in the House”, he said.

Agbebaku, who told the House that the letter was sent to him from the Edo State APC secretariat, noted that by the letter the party now has the majority of elected members in the House.

He, however, wished the defectors well in their endeavours.

He said he was waiting for another letter from the party for the nomination of its principal officers.

“Distinguished members you just heard of the letter that was sent to me from the APC in Edo State.

“So, going by this letter it means APC now has a majority in the House.

“I want to wish the decampees well and I wish them good endeavours.

“Thank you very much. Waiting for the letter from APC for their nominees”, he added.

According to report the four lawmakers defected from their various political parties to APC last week.

The defection brought the numbers of APC lawmakers in the House to 13 while PDP has 11.

The House, however, adjourned plenary to April 7, 2025.