BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim:
A viral quote attributed to Innocent Chukwuma, the founder and chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM), claims that he vowed never to invest or open a branch in Lagos State, alleging that the state government targets Igbo-owned businesses for demolition.
Caption: Screenshot of False Claim
Verdict:
FALSE! There is no evidence that Innoson’s founder, Innocent Chukwuma, made the statement. Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing has publicly debunked the quote through an official statement on its verified Facebook page, describing it as “fake news”.
Full Text:
A viral quote attributed to Innocent Chukwuma, the founder and chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM), claims that he vowed never to invest or open a branch in Lagos State, alleging that the state government targets Igbo-owned businesses for demolition.
The alleged statement reads: “I can never invest in Lagos, neither will I open a branch there. To me, it is like watering a tree on another man’s land – sooner or later, they will find reasons to demolish it and push you out. We have seen how businesses owned by Igbos in Lagos are pulled down in the name of demolition, and I cannot allow Innoson Motors to suffer the same fate.”
The quote has been widely circulated on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by a photo of Chukwuma, suggesting it was a recent statement made by him.
Since 2019, Lagos State has witnessed intermittent ethnic and social tensions between indigenous Yoruba residents and members of the Igbo community, particularly around issues of property rights, political representation, and market regulation
These tensions intensified after the Lagos government began demolishing unauthorised structures in 2025, sparking accusations that the move disproportionately targeted Igbo traders and businesses.
Against this backdrop, misinformation and identity-based propaganda found fertile ground online. In early October 2025, several Facebook posts alleged that Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous automobile company, had vowed to cut ties with Lagos in protest.
Verification
FactCheckAfrica conducted a keyword search of the alleged quote on Google, and major social media platforms returned no credible source linking it to any statement by Innoson or its chairman. Furthermore, we reviewed Innoson’s verified social media accounts and official website, including their Facebook page, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Ltd and found no record of the quote.
Instead, on October 3, 2025, Innoson issued an official rebuttal, describing the claim as “fake news” and the work of “mischief makers”. The company’s statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a fake post widely circulating on social media regarding the chairman of IVM. We want to categorically debunk this as fake news and handwork of mischief makers. Chief Innocent Chukwuma has several businesses in Lagos and across different regions in Nigeria. We therefore encourage the general public to disregard this fake news. Thank you all and God bless Nigeria.”
FactCheckAfrica confirmed that Innoson maintains active business operations in Lagos, with existing showrooms and service centres across the state, contradicting the claim that it had withdrawn or refused to invest there.
Conclusion:
The viral quote claiming that Innocent Chukwuma, the founder of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, said he would not invest in Lagos State is false. The company has publicly debunked the claim, reaffirming its operational presence in Lagos.
