Soludo Issues 14-Day Demolition Ultimatum to Nnewi Hotel, Fuel Station Owners, others

By Ndife David, Nnewi

The Anambra State Government has commenced the issuance of demolition notices to more than 500 owners and occupiers of illegal, dilapidated, and unsafe structures across Nnewi.
The affected properties include hotels, filling stations, shanties, and other high-rise buildings allegedly erected in violation of physical planning regulations.
The exercise forms part of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s ambitious urban renewal programme aimed at transforming Nnewi into a modern, orderly, and economically vibrant city.
The enforcement exercise is being led by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and marks the first phase of a comprehensive urban regeneration initiative designed to restore order, improve infrastructure, and reposition Nnewi as a leading industrial and commercial hub.
Structures marked for demolition include shanties erected beneath high-tension power lines, buildings constructed without approved setbacks, unauthorized developments, filling stations, hotels, and other dilapidated structures considered hazardous to public safety and urban development.
The affected locations span major corridors and strategic areas of the city, including the Nnewi Triangle axis, Hundred Foot Road, Post Office area, Anaedo Road, Igwe Orizu Road, Ezemewi Road, Nkwo axis, sections of the Nnewi–Owerri Road right-of-way, and other major Trunk A road corridors across Otolo, Umudim, and Uruagu communities.
Speaking during the enforcement exercise, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barrister Chijioke Oseloka Ojukwu, said the action aligns with Governor Soludo’s vision of creating a cleaner, safer, and more orderly urban environment.
He noted that the initiative would lay the foundation for the comprehensive regeneration of Nnewi and restore its status as one of Nigeria’s foremost industrial and commercial centres.
According to Ojukwu, the affected structures include shanties, dilapidated buildings, unapproved developments, filling stations, hotels, and properties encroaching on public rights-of-way or posing environmental and safety risks.
He explained that the notices also serve as a formal warning to owners of structures obstructing the right-of-way of the newly dualised Nnewi–Owerri Road and other areas earmarked for redevelopment under the state government’s urban transformation agenda.
The commissioner disclosed that more than 500 owners of illegally constructed structures have so far been served notices and granted a two-week ultimatum to comply with the directives before enforcement and demolition operations commence.
Ojukwu further stated that the urban renewal programme would facilitate the completion of the long-abandoned Nnewi Triangle Mall project, as well as the development of modern bus terminals, recreational centres, and other public infrastructure aimed at enhancing economic activities, improving urban mobility, and boosting the city’s overall appeal.
The initiative follows Governor Soludo’s recent inspection tour of Nnewi and forms part of a broader strategy to reclaim abandoned public assets, eliminate urban blight, address critical infrastructure deficits, and create a more functional, attractive, and investment-friendly environment.
While acknowledging the temporary inconvenience the exercise may cause, Ojukwu urged residents and business owners to cooperate with the government. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to enforcing physical planning laws with fairness, transparency, and firmness in pursuit of a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous Nnewi.