By Our Correspondent
A civic advocacy group, Concerned Stakeholders for Truth, Justice and Due Process, has called on Nigerians to disregard what it described as false and unsubstantiated allegations circulating on social media against the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force over the Mandilas Building in Lagos.
The group was reacting to a viral publication by Mr. Onuorah Eze Okafor, who claimed ownership of the Mandilas Building and accused officials of the Lagos State Government and the Police of carting away valuable items from the property.
Addressing journalists, the group’s Secretary, Johnson Okoye, said the allegations were weighty but had not been backed by any credible or verifiable evidence.
“It is wrong to make such grave accusations against public institutions without proof. Allegations of this nature should be supported by facts, not emotions, assumptions or social media narratives,” he said.
Okoye also dismissed a video being circulated online, in which Mr. Onuorah claimed that trucks and workers seen within the premises were acting on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
According to him, nothing in the video identifies the individuals or vehicles as government officials or links them to any government agency.
“The video does not prove what is being alleged. It neither identifies those seen in it nor establishes that they were acting on behalf of the government. It is therefore misleading to present it as evidence of wrongdoing,” he said.
He also cautioned against dragging contractors handling lawful assignments at the site into the controversy.
“There is no evidence whatsoever that any contractor engaged on the site was involved in any unlawful activity. Contractors carrying out officially approved work should not be falsely accused or made scapegoats for matters that have not been established by any investigation,” he added.
Okoye noted that if anyone believes property was unlawfully removed from the building, the proper step is to report the matter to the appropriate law enforcement authorities and provide credible evidence instead of resorting to social media.
He stressed that Lagos has built its reputation as Nigeria’s commercial capital by protecting investments and upholding the rule of law, warning that reckless allegations against public institutions could unnecessarily damage investor confidence.
Speaking on the condition of the Mandilas Building, Okoye said the structure had suffered extensive damage following the fire incident and was professionally assessed by experts.
According to him, the assessment found the building to be structurally unsafe, prompting the relevant government authorities to approve its demolition in order to safeguard lives and neighbouring properties.
“The demolition was not an arbitrary decision. It followed professional advice from experts who certified that the building had become unsafe after the fire. Once the appropriate authorities approved its demolition, any contractor engaged for that purpose was simply carrying out a lawful assignment in the interest of public safety.
“It is therefore unfair to suggest that the contractor engaged for an approved demolition exercise was involved in looting or any criminal activity without a shred of evidence. Such claims are not only misleading but also unfair to those carrying out legitimate work.”
He urged members of the public to be guided by facts rather than sensational claims circulating online.
“Public opinion should be shaped by evidence, not sentiment. We appeal to Nigerians to allow the appropriate authorities to do their work and resist the temptation to draw conclusions based on one-sided social media accounts,” he said.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to truth, justice and due process, insisting that while every genuine grievance deserves to be investigated, allegations against individuals or institutions must always be supported by credible evidence.
