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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, security operatives, some commissioners and journalists, yesterday, visited Novare Plaza, Sangotedo and Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Surulere, where reprisals to xenophobic attacks took place, describing it as condemnable.
Fielding questions from journalists shortly after his visit to Surulere, he stated that the first thing is to condemn in strong terms the enormous destruction of property.
“Unfortunately, they are indigenous stalls that have been destroyed. From the evidence, it is obvious that the people actually broke in, jumping walls; it is unimaginable. It is pure robbery. Over 2,000 people are out of jobs presently at Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, while over 3,000 are out of jobs at Novare Plaza Sangotedo.
Speaking further, he stated that: “I have started a conversation with some of the owners and proprietors to go back and see the social implications of what has happened and how we can learn from it. We need to get our businesses to begin to make more engagement with their local communities.
“They need to begin to have a lot more interaction with the communities in which they do business. People must continue to remember what a name or brand has done for you in your community, maybe in your school, sporting arena, recreation so that the brand becomes something you relate with.
“For us in government, we’ll go back and see how we can create the narratives and engagement to begin social inclusion in the communities. More importantly, to assure the business community that ease of doing business is paramount to us and that is why we are telling our security operatives to stop at nothing to keep all the facilities safe and secure.”
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