The Igbo National Union Worldwide (INU-W) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Lagos State Government, condemning what it described as a wave of demolitions disproportionately affecting Igbo-owned businesses and properties across the state. The group warned that continued inaction by federal authorities and Yoruba leaders could inflame ethnic tensions.

In a statement signed by its Administrative Secretary, Mazi Austin-Mary Ndukwu, the union accused the Lagos State Government of pursuing a “dangerous agenda” aimed at economically displacing the Igbo and undermining their contributions to the state’s development. INU-W said the demolitions, conducted under various legal justifications, have brought “anguish and despair” to Igbo residents and traders in Lagos.

The group urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene by directing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and prominent Yoruba leaders to halt the demolition exercises and engage affected property owners in dialogue toward “amicable settlements.”

It warned that failure to initiate discussions within 30 days would leave the union “compelled to take appropriate and lawful steps in defence of our people’s dignity and economic survival.”

INU-W also criticized what it called a “conspiracy of silence” by the Federal Government and Yoruba elites, arguing that the absence of condemnation emboldens what it views as targeted actions against Igbo economic interests.

The group further cautioned that “no ethnic group holds a monopoly on peace or power,” urging restraint and dialogue to prevent avoidable conflicts.

The warning highlights growing concerns over property rights and ethnic relations in Nigeria’s commercial capital, where diverse communities have long coexisted amid recurring disputes over land use, urban development, and government enforcement actions.