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From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The demolition hammer has returned to Nnewi as the Anambra State Government intensifies its crackdown on illegal structures, pulling down an unauthorised three-storey building and clearing several shanties across parts of the industrial city.
The latest enforcement exercise, carried out on September 1, 2026, was led by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Chijioke Oseloka Ojukwu, a lawyer, under the ministry’s “Operation Zero Shanties” and “Operation Show Your Permit” initiatives.
The operation commenced at Akabukwu, Uruagu, where the three-storey building under construction was demolished over alleged breaches of physical planning regulations.
The enforcement team subsequently moved to Nkwo, Umudim, Okpunoeze Junction and the St. Mary’s Catholic Church axis, where several shanties and other unauthorised structures were removed.
Speaking with journalists during the exercise at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ojukwu said the action was part of the state government’s sustained campaign to enforce compliance with approved building plans and physical planning regulations.
He declared that the government would no longer tolerate impunity in the building sector, insisting that developers must obtain the necessary approvals before commencing construction.
Ojukwu also rejected claims that Nnewi was being singled out, explaining that similar enforcement operations had already been carried out in Onitsha, Nkpor, Nkwele Ezunaka and Ogbunike, while other cities would also be covered.
The commissioner warned developers, property owners and business operators against constructing or conducting commercial activities in structures without the required approvals.
He added that property owners affected by the exercise had been given adequate notice before the demolition.
Ojukwu further advised traders displaced by the removal of shanties to relocate to other approved markets within Nnewi, stressing that the exercise was being undertaken in the overall interest of the public.
Meanwhile, some residents welcomed the government’s urban renewal drive but appealed for improved communication and adequate notice before future enforcement exercises.
Some residents who spoke, including Chief Jerry Okeke, Ephraim Nwaka and Paul Mokwe, urged the government to provide alternative trading locations for businesses affected by the demolition.
The latest operation signals a renewed push by the Anambra State Government to enforce physical planning laws and rid major urban centres of illegal structures, with Nnewi now firmly in the spotlight of the state’s ongoing urban renewal campaign.
