Midnight Demolition Tear Oworonshoki Lagos

Residents of Ojulari, Oworonshoki, Lagos, report say demolition people return late Saturday night to pull down houses for dia community, and dem still dey continue di work reach Sunday morning despite protests and local wahala. Eyewitness yan say two bulldozers dey for di site, while over 50 police officers dey fire teargas for people all through di night. Olarenwaju Segun, one resident, talk say, “We no sleep at all because demolition people and police come back after we stop dem for morning. Even now, dem still dey demolish.” Some residents blame Oba of Oworonshoki, Babatunde Saliu, say e dey support di demolition to reclaim waterfront land for private development, but traditional ruler deny di claim. Baale Olorunwa Luwa talk say di operation no get government approval because proper government no go come 12 midnight or 3 a.m. to demolish houses. Plenty people homes, fences, and walls don destroy, children dey sleep for rubble, and people no get where to go.

Coalition of Oworonshoki Demolition Victims reject compensation exercise wey Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA) organise, call am propaganda and selective. Only 79 people out of over 10,000 affected residents dey shortlisted for compensation, while cheques allegedly go palace loyalists wey no suffer. Dem demand transparent enumeration, independent investigation, and proper compensation for all wey dem demolish dia houses, shops, and livelihoods. Reports confirm say LASURA don begin pay verified property owners, but residents talk say di process opaque. Dem allege court order dey wey go restrain more demolitions, but di paper never see am. Demolitions for Oworonshoki don dey since 2023, people don lose homes, and protest dey continue as citizens march to Alausa to condemn di government for worsening poverty and homelessness. Government justify say Oworonshoki dey part of urban renewal plan, and structures dey unsafe and dey cause environmental wahala.