Group decries planned demolition in Lagos community

A coalition of victims of the demolished buildings in the Oworoshoki area of Lagos State has called on the government to stop further planned demolition in the area.

On Thursday, officials of the Lagos State Environmental Task Force invaded the Mosafejo community, a slum settlement at Oworonshoki, in the Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.

The invasion was unprecedented as the dwellers were taken unawares when the armed officials ordered them to vacate the location with immediate effect.

Shocked by the development, the residents became perplexed and while they were still trying to process what was happening, the task force and some persons suspected to be thugs who came with them began to pull down all the structures in sight.

In a statement sent to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, the group stated that respite had yet to come the way of the victims in the last year since the incident happened.

Describing the demolition as illegal, the leader of the group, Opeyemi Ogunlami, who signed the statement, lamented alleged continuous threats towards the victims of the forced eviction.

The statement read, “July 27 makes it exactly one year that the Lagos State Police Task Force invaded the Mosafejo and Precious Seed communities of Oworoshoki with bulldozers and armed police officers thereby burning and demolishing houses without even allowing people to take their properties. About 1000 homes were either burnt or knocked down by bulldozers rendering over 10,000 residents homeless.

“We also want to bring it to public notice that one year after the illegal and forceful eviction, we have recorded 13 deaths as a result of the aftermath of the demolition which includes four children, two men and seven women respectively. These also include thousands of victims who are still homeless and their means of livelihood ruined.”

The group further stated that the affected victims had yet to be compensated or resettled to date.

Ogunlami also drew the attention of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the alleged threat to residents of the Precious Seed community to vacate their homes before August 1, 2024.

He however called on the governor to halt another round of demolition in the community.

“We also want the governor to award compensations including resettlement of the thousands that have been unjustly displaced, made homeless, and without property.

“The governor should also pay a visit to the families of the 13 persons that have lost their lives as a result of the demolition and provide adequate compensation for their families., the statement added.