•Amnesty International demands justice
Bodies of five of the over 12 persons who drowned in the lagoon at Otodogbame in Ikate Lekki, have been recovered and buried, it was learnt yesterday.
The bodies were recovered last Friday morning, with some parts decayed.
A resident, Alex Zosu, told The Nation that Anthaji Fisu’s body was among those recovered.
He said he wept on seeing the remains because “crabs have eaten his mouth. It was horrible. The others died facing down. Our elders just wrapped and buried them because some of the bodies were already peeling.
“The bodies were recovered near a sand feeling (sic). You can see that Sosu had a bag strapped on his shoulders. It’s clear he was trying to escape but ended up in the lagoon.”
Zosu claimed that some policemen came on Friday and gave residents seven days to quit.
The police, he alleged, said they would come back to demolish more houses.
“Zosu said: “It is the police that set our houses on fire. We did not fight here. It is just the police that came here to carryout demolition. They said the government sent them but we know they are working for a certain traditional ruler who wants our land.
“That traditional ruler even paid some of his workers to bury any floating corpse they saw. They have secretly buried so many people that died. It was one of the workers there that told us that they were paid to bury any floating corpse.
“Why is it that the government has not intervened? Is it the government that sent them to do this as they claimed? Why would a government send police to demolish people’s homes, destroy their properties and even cause their death without notice? Isn’t the government aware that people laboured for so many years and that even thousands of students have had their future destroyed because of this act?
The police have since denied the allegations, saying none of their men was involved in the crisis between some youths and fishmen.
Global watchdog Amnesty International (AI) has called for investigation into the crisis in which 30,000 were rendered homeless.
It urged the government to provide alternative accommodation for displaced residents since there is a contravened court order halting the demolifirm of shanties at the waterfront.
AI’s researcher Morayo Adebayo said: “Although it is unclear who started the first fire on the morning of November 9, eyewitnesses have told the organisation that they were chased away by police officers when they attempted to put it out.
“After the fire stopped in the afternoon, the police and a demolition team returned overnight with a bulldozer. Eyewitnesses said that the police then started the fire again, forcibly evicting thousands from their homes. At no point were fire fighters seen.
“Thousands of residents of Otodogbame watched in horror as their homes and possessions were destroyed literally overnight, and their futures plunged into uncertainty. What makes this especially shocking is that on Monday, this community was granted an injunction preventing the Lagos State Government from proceeding with the planned demolition of the informal settlements along the state’s waterfronts.
“We are therefore urging the Lagos State authorities to immediately establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the incident and provide adequate housing and compensation to all those who have lost their homes.”
AI said it spoke with eight residents who described what they saw. The witnesses, it added, said the incident began with a “scuffle” between youths in Otodogbame and youths in a neighbouring community last Monday.
“The “scuffle” escalated on Wednesday morning and resulted in a fire. A statement by police said they had intervened at that point to “restore calm”.
“A 22-year-old woman said that on Wednesday morning, she saw youths setting fire to the homes, and that the police had prevented them from intervening or collecting their belongings:
“We [tried] to pack our things but the police [stopped] us, when we tried to pack; they [threatened to] shoot us. We all left empty-handed.”
“One witness told Amnesty International that after the bulldozer demolished their houses, the police set the rubble on fire. Other eyewitnesses also said that the police were setting fire to houses that were still standing.”
“Amnesty International confirmed with the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) that the agency was part of the demolition team sent to Otodogbame.
“Residents told Amnesty International that Friday morning, November 11, policemen returned to demolish the few remaining structures. With police back at the site, there are growing fears that the neighbouring community called ‘Chisco Ikate’ will also be destroyed.