Demolition: We were given 10 days’ notice but demolition took place 12 hours later —Innoson

The chairman and founder of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd., Chief Innocent Chukwuma, has decried the recent demolition of structures at Nnewi, Anambra State, which saw his headquarters demolished on April 16, 2025.

Chief Chukwuma, made the remarks when a team of Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) paid him a visit at his Nnewi Villa.

While in the company of his elder brother, Chief Gabriel Chukwuma, widely known as Gabros, Chief Innocent expressed regrets at the demolition exercise.

He emphasised that his worst regret is that the state government gave them just ten days’ notice to vacate the affected areas.

He, however, expressed more regrets that the contractors could not wait for the ten days’ notice to expire.

Rather, they carried the demolition barely twelve hour later, leaving behind a tale of destroyed brand new IVM vehicles.

The exercise was meant to pave way for the Okija-Nnewi-Onitsha dual carriage way currently going on.

Chukwuma, to buttress his point, made available a copy of the notice of removal of structures presented to his company.

See a screenshot of the notice below:

The notice was signed by the Chairman of Nnewi North Local Government Area, Honourable Echezona Anazodo.

The notice was entitled “Notice of removal of structures at Nnewi-Owerri Road, Nnewi-Nnobi Road on or before 10 days from today, 15th April, 2025.

Honourable Anazodo stated: “I bring you warm greetings from government of Anambra State and Nnewi North LGA.

“The Nnewi North Mayor, Hon. Echezona Anazodo, Member Representing Nnewi North at Anambra State House of Assembly; Hon., Sir, Onyedikachukwu Augustine Ike and the New PG of Nzuko-Ora Nnewi, Prince Jude Osumuo, having intervened in the ongoing removal of structures at the ongoing dualization of Owerri Road, Nnewi, while sympathizing with the affected property owners, hereby officially notifies the property owners and landlords along that axis to kindly remove all structures 10 feet or 3 meters from the gutters inwards to avoid further destruction by the contractors.

“This becomes imperative to avoid further damage by the contractors, and if not removed within 10 days from today 15th April 2025.

“The Anambra State government will have no choice than to continue from where they stopped.

“Accept my deepest empathy,” he concluded.

Innoson confirmed, showing his phone messages to DDM correspondent, that he received the message after 8 PM on April 15.

To the shock and chagrin of Chukwuma and the staff of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, the demolition was carried in the morning of April 16.

Chukwuma, meanwhile, maintained his stance that he won’t grant any official interview until he holds a meeting with the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo.

Governor Soludo, presently, travelled out of the country to the United Kingdom, pending his return.

On his part, the Member representing Nnewi North Constituency, Hon. Ike,

Anambra State House of Assembly Chairman Youth Development and Sports has “cleared air” on the ongoing construction in Nnewi/Owerri road that affected Innoson showroom and other sensitive homes and vital businesses in Nnewi.

Ike maintained that it is for common good, just that people were not properly communicated to.

He called the attention of the Ministry of Works to give people time to save their valuables and make way for the construction to continue.

He urged people to register their concern through office of the Local Government Chairman or the office of the Honourable Member.

Ike, however, failed to address the concern of Chief Chukwuma that the ten days’ notice was abused and violated.

In the meantime, a visit to the Innoson showroom, revealed that more than twenty vehicles were destroyed by Soludo’s contractors.

Gabros lamented that some of the destroyed vehicles cost as much as seventy million Naira.

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