On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Banana Island in Ikoyi, Lagos, closed its gates completely. No one was allowed to enter or leave. This led to a huge traffic jam that blocked the Lekki-Ajah road and spread into Ikoyi. Many people believe it might be because of plans to demolish the Banana Club House, but no one knows who gave the order. Some think it’s the federal government, others blame the Lagos State government.
A video online showed long lines of cars stuck inside Banana Island while tough-looking men stood guard at the gate. A message going around said, “Lagos State Government agency has shut Banana Island and nobody is moving.” One angry user on X, named #Nothingispromised, said, “We love suffering, government big men shut down the place, and now Lekki and Ikoyi are blocked!” The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) said they are not involved. Their spokesman, Adu Ademuyiwa, claimed their team is not even there.
The head of LASBCA, Gbolahan Oki, had earlier warned that any illegal buildings, like ones under power lines, would be removed to keep Lagos clean and safe. He mentioned they had already demolished buildings in Abule Egba and Iyana Isheri, and Banana Island could be next. But for now, Ademuyiwa said no demolition is happening yet. People are left guessing while traffic keeps getting worse.