Midnight Demolition Scatter Lagos People, Dem Don Lose House

Di elderly residents and widows for Amikanle community, Alagbado area of Lagos don cry out say midnight demolition of shops and houses for di Powerline corridor on November 7 don scatter dia livelihood and push plenty of dem go sleep for street. Women between 60 and 65 wey yarn say loss of dia shops, goods and family houses don turn many of dem to beggars. Dem describe di demolition as sudden, forceful and backed with heavy security. Some residents even show injuries wey dem say happen as dem dey run when officials storm di place with six bulldozers and threaten arrest for anybody wey wan record. One victim, 63-year-old Olabisi Osho, talk say her one-storey building wey she don stay for 28 years still fall victim despite earlier assurance say e no dey marked. She injure her head and now dey sleep for trailer. Many widows, including Oni Elizabeth and Aina Adejare, talk say dem don lost houses multiple times and now no get anywhere to go. Shop owners lament say business don die and hunger don worsen because customers don disappear.

Residents like Adebimpe Oduro and other traders insist say dia shops no dey under any powerline and complain say government no give compensation as dem hear say land don dey prepared to lease to new people. Widows like Esther Olaogun and Ishola Ikotun beg government make dem help dem start life again as demolition happen barely one week after notice and goods scatter finish. A soft drink seller, Bisoye Lawal, say she get nothing again as she accuse officials of removing dem only to give shops to others. Gospel singer Testimony Jaga, wey grow for di area, talk say people dey sleep under bridge and some even miss during heavy rainfall. E ask why government say dem dey clear powerline but dem still dey build under di same line without compensating victims. But Lagos State Building Control Agency spokesperson, Adu Ademuyiwa, dismiss claims of land reallocation, insist say nobody suppose build under high tension and government no go help anybody without documents. E talk say some residents dey rebuild every time government chase dem. From Oworonshoki to Amikanle, similar demolition matter don dey raise concerns as affected residents dey complain say government dey do di operations without empathy or human feeling.