By David Akinmola
Tension has gripped the Oworonshoki area of Lagos as the Lagos State Task Force resumed demolition of structures on Saturday, sparking fears of violence and displacement among residents.
Eyewitnesses told OrimixTimes that the latest round of demolitions turned chaotic after armed policemen, allegedly accompanied by hoodlums, attacked residents who tried to resist the exercise. The attacks reportedly occurred around Coker Street, Miyaki, and Ojeleru areas, leaving several people injured and properties destroyed.
According to multiple accounts, security operatives fired teargas to disperse protesting residents as bulldozers moved in to pull down buildings. Panic spread through the neighbourhood as families scrambled to salvage what was left of their belongings.
“They are firing teargas canisters at Miyaki. Teargas is everywhere,” a resident said. “It seems demolition has started in Ojeleru. I just hope it won’t turn violent.”
Another eyewitness described the scene as “a war zone,” accusing some policemen and thugs of beating residents who refused to vacate their homes. “People were brutalised while trying to protect their houses. We were not given enough notice or alternative accommodation,” the source said.
The ongoing demolition, which the state government said targets illegal structures built on drainage channels and waterfront setbacks, has continued to draw widespread criticism. Residents argue that the exercise is being carried out without due process or provision of resettlement plans.
Local groups and civil rights activists have condemned the operation, warning that it could deepen Lagos’ housing crisis. It is estimated that the demolitions have already displaced thousands of families, with over 7,000 housing units reportedly destroyed across affected communities.
“We’re not just losing our homes, we’re losing our livelihoods and our sense of community,” a distraught resident told this medium, struggling to hold back tears. “What will we do without a place to call our own?”
Many residents have resorted to sleeping in churches, makeshift shelters, or staying with relatives, as government officials insist the structures were illegal and obstructing drainage paths.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has reportedly ordered the Task Force to halt further demolitions pending a legislative review, but the directive appears to have been ignored.
Rights groups and urban development experts have faulted the government’s approach, describing it as “insensitive and poorly timed” given the economic hardship in the state. They argue that rather than forced evictions, the government should focus on urban renewal and inclusive resettlement programmes.
As of press time, neither the Lagos State government nor the Task Force had issued an official statement addressing the reported violence or the alleged use of armed thugs during the demolition exercise.
Residents of Oworonshoki, still reeling from the shock of the sudden operation, are calling for urgent government intervention and humanitarian support to avert a worsening humanitarian crisis in the area.
