Lagos: Tears, chaos as bulldozers storm Oworonshoki at midnight, demolish more buildings

Residents of the Ojulari community in Oworonshoki, Lagos, have raised fresh alarm after demolition teams reportedly returned late Saturday night to pull down more houses in the area.

It was gathered that the operation continued into the early hours of Sunday despite widespread protests and resistance.

Eyewitnesses told reporters on Sunday morning that at least two bulldozers were deployed for the exercise, accompanied by a large number of police officers.

According to residents, over 50 armed policemen fired teargas through the night to disperse those attempting to resist the demolition. They claimed the operation had not ceased as of early Sunday.

“We didn’t sleep at all. They came back in the night after we stopped them in the morning. Even now, Sunday morning, the demolition is still ongoing,” one resident, Olanrewaju Segun said.

“More than 50 police officers were shooting teargas at people protesting as they pulled down our homes. Many don’t know where to go. This is a grave injustice.”

Earlier on Saturday, residents had successfully blocked an initial attempt to demolish homes in the Udi Araba area, a densely populated section overlooking the Lagos Lagoon.

“They started demolishing without marking any building. We quickly mobilised and stopped them, and that was how they left in the morning. But we didn’t know they would return at midnight,” another resident said.

Some residents have accused the Oba of Oworonshoki, Oba Babatunde Saliu, of supporting the demolition to reclaim waterfront lands allegedly meant for private development.

However, the monarch has denied any involvement, stating that he too had previously suffered losses from a similar government-led exercise.

“I was also a victim when I unknowingly built on land that had been acquired by the government. I have no hand in any demolition,” he said.

The Baale of Oworonshoki, Chief Olorunwa Luwa, also condemned the ongoing exercise, insisting it was not sanctioned by any government authority.

“If this were a government-approved operation, it wouldn’t happen at midnight or 3 a.m. People with genuine property documents are losing their homes in this lawless exercise,” he said.

As of Sunday morning, residents said the demolitions were still ongoing, leaving scores of families homeless and in shock over what they described as “a coordinated night assault” on their community.