Tag: demolition

As the dusts settled and the reality of their new situation dawned on them, residents of the hitherto bustling Ojileru Street in Oworonsoki, Lagos State, now a stretch of rubble, count their losses amidst tears and despair. The demolition of their homes has no doubt left a huge mark on them, albeit, negative. In the ensuing pandemonium, two people reportedly lost their lives while several others landed in the hospital. Zainab Olufemi, who visited the community, traces how a disputed official demolition has left a community in ruins and how residents are now appealing to the Lagos government for compensation.

On that Friday night, September 5, bulldozers tore through concrete as armed security operatives fired tear gas. Residents said the operation began without notice and left them no chance to salvage their belongings.

Mrs. Adeye Dosumu, whose late husband built their family home more than 80 years ago, recounted her heart-rending ordeal in tears.

“They just appeared at midnight and started demolishing buildings. The bus they brought had no plate number; they covered their faces, used tear gas and guns. We only managed to pack a few things, and even those were stolen by thieves,” she said.

Since that night, Adeye has been sleeping in the open, on a plain mat, on her husband’s grave, exposed to cold and mosquitoes. The children staying with her cannot resume school because their uniforms and shoes are buried under the rubble.

“Even the clothes I am wearing have been on me for days,” she said.

Her pain is deepened by irony. Her late husband was a loyal party man.

“The only thing you could do to offend him was not to vote. Every election, we voted. Now, they have taken our shelter away from us. Government should at least compensate us for what we have lost,” she said.

‘We watched our church fall before our eyes’

A mother of eight, Elizabeth Ojo, was in her father’s church on Ojileru Street when the bulldozers arrived with police escorts.

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“They came around 11 p.m. and told us they wanted to demolish the house. We pleaded with them, and they said they weren’t coming to our side. But after pulling down other houses, they later came to ours and began demolishing the church too,” she said.

Elizabeth said she and her children were not allowed to take anything before the machines moved in.

“They demolished a lot of things along with the house, and there was nothing we could do,” she added.

Now, she and her children sleep in the open, sometimes inside a bus, sometimes under a mosquito net.

“The wood I am picking from the rubbles is to sell, just to look for money to fend for myself and the children,” she said.

Her children remain traumatised. “When the bulldozers came, they brought guns and tear gas. We just ran. They didn’t allow us to take anything,” she said.

Elizabeth had lived in the community for about five years, paying ₦300,000 in rent annually. While she admits their house had no Certificate of Occupancy, she insists the church did, and had recently been renovated.

Her only plea now is simple: “Government should help us and compensate us, at least to put a roof over our children’s heads.”

Families count their losses, beg for relief

For Gbenga Michael, who had lived in his only storey building on Ojileru Street since 1986, the night was one of betrayal.

“I borrowed ₦1.5 million to renovate my house,” he said.

“I am still in debt, only for them to come and demolish everything. They started by 12 midnight. I was inside when the bulldozer came. I only managed to pick two clothes, which I have been wearing since then.”

Gbenga had eight tenants who paid between ₦170,000 and ₦300,000 annually. Now, both he and his tenants are homeless. His wife, overwhelmed by the shock, has relocated to Mowe.

The demolitions also claimed lives. “There’s a 95-year-old man that died of stroke when he heard his house had been demolished. There’s also a herb seller who collapsed while running as they demolished houses. She was rushed to the hospital but didn’t make it,” he said.

According to Gbenga, at least 95 houses were pulled down that night, including a cathedral church that had stood for decades.

“Everything I worked for is gone. Government should not just leave us like this. They should compensate us, even if it is not all, at least something to start again,” he said.

Midnight shock: ‘They never warned us’

Apostle Jeremiah Ola, pastor of one of the demolished churches, said the exercise left both his congregation and family stranded. “This church has been here since 1985. There was no prior information before they came at midnight. The first time we saw anything like a notice was April 9, when some officials came. They told us to modernise our buildings and submit documents, which many of us did. But we never heard back,” he said.

According to him, another notice was pasted on May 12, but without any specific date for demolition.

“By September 5, around 11:30 p.m., we saw a bus filled with uniformed men. At first, we thought they came to work on the canal, because we had been battling with drainage issues. But they suddenly began waking people up, saying we should move out so they could demolish.”

He said five churches, including a multi-storey CAC church, were pulled down. “We went to the government office, but they said they were not aware of this demolition. Our suspicion is that the land has been sold to some influential people. Even the palace told us to modernise our houses when we complained.”

Appealing to the state governor, he said: “We want Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as a father, to come to our aid and fight for our rights. Those with Certificates of Occupancy should be compensated. This land belongs to my late father, who founded this church. I took over as his successor. We don’t see any reason why the government should demolish our buildings without dialogue.”

‘This is our land, not water’

Residents also dismissed government’s claims that their homes were built on water channels. “We are not close to the water at all. When we first saw them, we thought they wanted to help us clear canals, until they started pulling down our houses,” they said.

For many, the demolitions felt like betrayal. They had attended festivals, paid dues, and voted loyally for both the state government and the traditional ruler.

“At the very least, government should give us compensation to start afresh,” they said.

Government’s stance

But the government has said that the demolitions followed due process.

According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) had repeatedly warned residents and given them ample opportunity to regularise their structures.

“The amnesty began with a 90-day window from May 2024 to July 2024, and was extended twice, until December 2024. Only two or three persons in that community took advantage of the programme, and their buildings were spared. Others ignored all warnings,” he said.

He added that LASBCA officials held sensitisation meetings with residents and community leaders, insisting that most of the demolished structures were distressed, blocking drainage channels, and unsafe for habitation.

“The government cannot allow people to live in houses that are not fit for habitation,” he stressed.

A video presented by the state government also showed marked buildings and community engagements before the exercise. Officials argue that the demolitions were necessary to safeguard lives, improve drainage, and enhance security in the area.

Between rubble and survival: plea for compensation

For Adeye, Elizabeth, Gbenga, Apostle Ola and dozens of others, those explanations bring little comfort. They remain homeless, mourning loved ones, and uncertain of tomorrow.

Ojileru Street today is more than a pile of broken bricks, it is a community displaced, caught between the hammer of government policy and the anvil of survival.

Their plea is simple: compensation, not abandonment.