House demolition in Lagos
House demolition renders children homeless in Lagos. Several women and children have been made homeless when agents of the Lagos State Government burned down houses and demolished others in the state’s Oworoshoki region.
PUNCH Metro has learned that the demolition that began last Monday has affected no fewer than six streets, with the task force threatening that more will be demolished on Monday (today).
When our correspondent visited the region on Sunday, he saw some youngsters and old women sleeping outside their burned-out homes, while others sought cover inside abandoned tricycles.
Some residents who spoke with PUNCH Metro lamented that the state government did not give them notice, adding that people were not allowed to take out their belongings before they burnt down their buildings.
Our correspondent further learnt that streets such as Oke-Eri, Oluwaseyi, Community, Cornerstone, Ogo-Oluwa, Lagos and others, housing no fewer than 7,000 buildings had been turned into ashes and debris.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro in Oke-Eri, a septuagenarian simply identified as Mama Alhaji said her charcoal business had been destroyed by the burning.
The teary-aged woman who had lived in the area for over 33 years said, “They came to this place without notice. I have been living here for the past 33 years. My house was at number 32, Oke-Eri. They didn’t give us any notice. On Monday, we heard some houses were burnt around the riverbank.
“Not long after that, they came to Oke-Eri and demolished several buildings that were opposite mine. When I saw that the houses opposite mine had been demolished, I started packing some of my belongings out of the place. But before I came back on Friday, my house and several bags of charcoal valued at over N60,000 had been burnt.”
Another resident, a mother of five, told PUNCH Metro that half of her belongings had been lost to the demolition, adding that all her five children now take shelter at one of the nearby churches in the area.
The widow said, “I was not around when they came. Before I came back, half of our belongings had been burnt. My five children and I have nowhere to go. It was one of my friends who were also affected by the demolition that advised us to go and be managing inside a church that is nearby. This is where we have been living since the destruction of our homes on Friday.”
Our correspondent further learned that streets such Oke-Eri, Oluwaseyi, Community, Cornerstone, Ogo-Oluwa, Lagos, and others, which housed over 7,000 buildings, had been reduced to ashes and trash.
A septuagenarian simply identified as Mama Alhaji told PUNCH Metro in Oke-Eri that the fire had destroyed her charcoal business.
“They came to this place without notice,” a tearful-eyed elderly woman who had resided in the neighborhood for over 33 years claimed. I’ve been here for the past 33 years. Oke-Eri 32 was the address of my house. They didn’t even notify us. On Monday, we learned that some houses along the riverfront had been set on fire.
The father, simply identified as Mr Akande, who talked with PUNCH Metro, said the state government should have alerted the community, adding that the task force tear-gassed residents and broke people’s mobile phones who were filming the fire as it burned.
“The youth were prevented from photographing and filming the task force,” Akande alleged. They confiscated phones and shattered others. My four-room flat, which included my wife’s shop, was destroyed by fire. All of the paperwork, including the survey, are in my possession. They should have notified us before coming here.”
PUNCH Metro learned while touring the burnt streets of Community Street that a building owned by PAN Africa Limited was planned as a site for a telecoms mast, which was believed to have been legally paid for by the company.
Speaking on the building, Mr Femi Falode said, “This project has been paid for. The state government came to inspect it before we started the construction. It is supposed to be a location site for telecoms mast.
“I was told yesterday that those people who came also threatened to demolish the building, including the iron.”
A community leader who chose to speak to our correspondent on condition of anonymity told PUNCH Metro that the government only told them that they were going to demolish wooden houses along the riverbank, adding that they were surprised when they saw that houses were being burnt and demolished while residents were prevented from taking out their belongings.
“When community leaders saw the demolition of buildings in Ifako Bus Stop, they said they were taking out wooden houses along the riverbank,” the source said. They stated that no structure should be built within 50 meters of the river.
“However, on Friday, over 200 police officers, some of whom were wearing masks to conceal their identities, stormed the community.” We contacted every government official we knew. They all told us that they were not aware of the demolition.”
Contacted, the Director of Public Affairs of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Odunuga, could not be reached for a comment as his mobile phone rang out on Sunday.