NNEWI, Nigeria – The Anambra State Government has sparked outrage following the demolition of the Head Office of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) in Nnewi, the industrial hub of the state.
The partial demolition, which occurred on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, affected the company’s perimeter fence, some office spaces, a staircase, and the showroom, causing significant disruption to its operations.
Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, led by Mr. Cornel Osigwe, Head of Corporate Communications, expressed surprise and disappointment over the lack of prior notification regarding the demolition.
“We did not know that the building itself was marked for demolition, and if it was marked, they should have given us time to relocate,” Osigwe said.
Staff members were reportedly at work when the demolition vehicle began demolishing parts of the building, trapping some workers inside.
Rescue efforts were needed to free those trapped, and over 20 vehicles were also caught in the demolition process.
The company also highlighted the confusion surrounding the demolition, pointing out that while a public announcement had been made about buildings marked for demolition, IVM was never informed that it was included.
Osigwe raised concerns over the apparent inconsistency in the demolition process, stating that neighboring buildings were not targeted, which led the company to question whether there was an ulterior motive behind the action.
When asked about the potential political motivations behind the demolition, Osigwe clarified that while Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing has been a strong supporter of the state government, the manner in which the demolition occurred raised suspicions.
“Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra has been a great supporter of Innoson Vehicle, and Innoson has been a great supporter of the state government. But the way and manner that everything happened makes us wonder if those handling the demolition have personal vendettas against the company,” Osigwe said.
In response to the backlash, the Anambra State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoma, defended the action, explaining that the demolition was part of a road construction project aimed at decongesting traffic during festival periods.
According to Okoma, the affected buildings, including the IVM Head Office, were marked for demolition as early as December or January, and the people involved were informed in advance.
He stressed that the exercise was not personalized and that other buildings, including those owned by the Catholic Church, were also part of the demolition plans.
Okoma further emphasized that Governor Soludo, a known advocate of locally made vehicles, remains a strong supporter of Innoson and that the narrative suggesting otherwise was misleading.
“Soludo is the only governor nationwide that uses made-in-Nigeria vehicles. Chief Innoson is our man, and anybody trying to create a wrong narrative about the demolition exercise does not mean well,” Okoma said.
