The Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU) has taken a bold step by petitioning the United Nations Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice over the alleged demolition of Igbo-owned properties in Lagos State. The group claims that the demolitions, mostly targeting businesses and investments owned by Igbos, amount to “economic cleansing” and ethnic discrimination.

Speaking in Umuahia, Abia State, ASITU’s National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, said that the association was forced to seek international intervention after Nigerian authorities ignored their repeated appeals. He condemned what he described as “a growing culture of selective justice and ethnic prejudice,” insisting that the demolitions violated constitutional rights to equality, property ownership, and fair hearing.

Chief Diwe dismissed the Lagos State Government’s justification that the structures were built on waterways, calling it “a misleading excuse” meant to disguise deeper ethnic bias. He said the affected buildings were duly approved and certified by government agencies before being demolished. “When lawfully acquired properties are destroyed without due process, it sends a dangerous signal that investment security in Nigeria depends on where you come from,” Diwe added.

The ASITU president further noted that many of the demolition notices were issued only a few days before enforcement, leaving property owners helpless. He described the actions as a threat to job creation, investor confidence, and Nigeria’s image in the global community. He called on the Federal Government to ensure fairness and to uphold the rule of law to prevent ethnic divisions from worsening.

While urging Igbo investors to remain calm and law-abiding, Diwe encouraged them to rechannel part of their investments back home in line with the “Aku Ruo Ulo” (let wealth return home) philosophy. “We are not calling for separation; we are demanding fairness, respect, and justice,” he emphasized. “When we invest in our homeland, we build dignity, employment, and economic strength for our people.”