Lagos Government Demolishes Homes, Leaving Thousands Homeless
Emmamuzo Iboma, Lagos
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Thousands of residents of Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora in Lagos Mainland have been left homeless after the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) carried out a large-scale demolition.
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) and community leaders condemned the eviction, stating it contradicts previous government assurances that residents would not be displaced.
According to a statement shared with Premium Times on Monday, the demolition took place without prior notice on 7 March. The coalition alleged that residents were beaten, their businesses destroyed, and their belongings looted.
“We stand with the people of Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora to condemn this mass forced eviction. It violates court orders and betrays years of engagement with the government, which had promised a regeneration plan,” the statement read.
Several organizations backed the statement, including Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI), the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, and Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria.
The CSOs stated that LASBCA marked homes for demolition on 11 February, giving residents just two days’ notice. Community members protested at the Lagos Mainland Local Government office, where the chairperson pledged support.
They also demonstrated at the Lagos State Government Secretariat in Alausa, appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the State House of Assembly. Despite assurances from senior government officials that they would not be evicted, LASBCA officials, police officers, and armed thugs reportedly stormed the communities and carried out demolitions.
The coalition further alleged that journalists from international media outlets were prevented from covering the event, with one reporter assaulted.
“The eviction took place in the middle of Ramadan and Lent, during the worst economic crisis in decades. Thousands are now sleeping on the streets, vulnerable to looting, sexual assault, and disease,” said Mariam Alo of JEI.
The CSOs highlighted that the forced evictions in Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora are part of a broader trend. Similar demolitions have occurred in Oworonshoki (2023), Orisunmibare (February 2024), Otto (March 2024), and Oko Baba (September 2024).
In 2017, the Lagos State High Court ruled that forced evictions without proper consultation violate the right to dignity under Section 34 of the Nigerian Constitution. This ruling followed the 2016-2017 Otodo Gbame evictions, where thousands were displaced.
The coalition accused land-owning elites and corrupt developers of using government agencies to displace poor residents for financial gain.
“This signals a return to an era where government assurances mean nothing, and residents must assume their homes can be seized at any time,” the statement read.
The CSOs demanded an immediate halt to evictions, emergency relief for affected residents, and the rebuilding of demolished communities.
As of press time, the Lagos State Government had not issued an official statement on the demolition.
This is not the first instance of demolitions without prior notice. In May 2024, officials demolished Ipakere in Eredo, Epe, despite residents’ appeals for explanation. In August 2024, the New Town Development Authority (NTDA) carried out another demolition there.
Bolarinwa Oluwasegun, Chairman of the Ipakere Community Development Association, lamented:
“We lived here peacefully for over 12 years. They marked buildings in May without explanation and returned in August to demolish them.”
Similarly, around 3,000 residents of the Ayetoro community have protested the destruction of their homes without warning.
Additionally, recent demolitions by Lagos State agencies have affected over 600 traders and 350 shops.
