A significant part of the popular Alaba Rago Market in Lagos State was demolished again on the morning of Saturday, August 16, 2025, in what has become a recurring exercise. The demolition, which continued until Wednesday, August 20, has left traders reeling from pain, agony, and huge financial losses.
Alaba Rago, a well-known commercial hub largely dominated by traders of northern extraction, has existed for nearly five decades. Many of its occupants, who consider the market not just a place of business but also home, lamented that the demolition has upended their lives and livelihoods.
Some traders told Weekend Trust that they lost goods worth millions of naira to the exercise, adding that the repeated demolitions are threatening their survival. Others expressed fears of displacement and uncertainty about their future in Lagos.
While the authorities are yet to give full details on the latest action, residents and business owners say they are struggling to recover from the destruction, with little or no support provided so far.
