The Anambra State Government has defended the partial demolition of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM)’s head office in Nnewi, insisting the move was not aimed at any individual or business.
Reacting to public outcry and the company’s complaints, the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoma, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that the demolition was part of a broader effort to expand the Nnewi-Owerri Road and ease chronic traffic congestion.
“This exercise is not about Innoson or any other specific entity,” Okoma said. “It cuts across the entire stretch of the road. Properties belonging to various individuals and institutions, including churches, were marked as far back as December and January.”
The Commissioner added that the road project is aimed at alleviating the traffic bottlenecks that occur during festive periods and insisted it was a non-personal initiative. He emphasized that Governor Charles Soludo remains a strong supporter of made-in-Nigeria products and proudly uses IVM vehicles as official cars.
“Chief Innoson is our own,” he said. “Anyone twisting the narrative doesn’t have good intentions.”
However, the vehicle manufacturing company expressed shock and disappointment over the demolition, stating that no formal notice was given before parts of its premises were brought down.
Mr. Cornel Osigwe, Head of Corporate Communications at Innoson Group, told NAN that sections of the perimeter fence, some offices, a staircase, and even the company’s showroom were affected.
“Our staff were inside the building when the demolition started. Some were trapped and had to be rescued by colleagues,” he said. “Over 20 vehicles were also caught in the chaos.”
Osigwe said the only public notice came a day before the incident, when an announcement was made stating that marked buildings had one week to relocate—something the company said it was unaware applied to its own facility.
“There are buildings close to our office that were marked but not touched,” he added, questioning the rationale behind the decision and suggesting there might be more behind the scenes.
When asked whether the company suspected a political motive, Osigwe was diplomatic. “Governor Soludo has always supported us, and we have supported his administration in return. But the way this happened raises concerns—maybe some people carrying out the exercise have their own agenda,” he said.
The state government has yet to respond to that particular angle, but tensions continue to simmer as both sides try to clarify what really happened and why.
