LAGOS MUST IMMEDIATELY STOP DEMOLISHING POOR PEOPLE’S HOMES IN OWOROSHOKI, AJEGUNLE AND MAKOKO
THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT MUST IMMEDIATELY HALT THE DEMOLITION OF HOUSES OF POOR PEOPLE IN OWOROSHOKI, AJEGUNLE AND MAKOKO.
WE DEMAND IMMEDIATE ADEQUATE COMPENSATION AND PROVISION OF DECENT HOUSES FOR ALL VICTIMS OF DEMOLITION; NO TO HOMELESSNESS!
The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) condemns the ongoing cruel demolition of houses in Oworoshoki by the Lagos State APC Government despite a subsisting court order granted on the 23rd of October by Justice A.G Balogun of the High Court of Lagos State in Ikeja, restraining the Lagos State Government, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) from further demolishing buildings located on Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Extension within Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area, Oworoshoki.
These vicious demolitions are a clear contempt of the court and disregard for the judiciary by a government which ought to be upholding the law and setting a positive example for citizens. Shelter is a human right. We hereby call for a halt to further demolition and respect for the right of Oworoshoki residents to shelter.
The Lagos State Government has a historical antecedent of demolishing houses of the poor and grabbing their lands for the rich. In 1990, Maroko, a slum community that housed over three hundred thousand poor Lagosians, located close to Victoria Island, was demolished by the Lagos State Government, making it the largest forceful eviction in Nigeria. The then regime of Raji Rasaki claimed Maroko was below sea level and needed to be sand-filled; however, the excuse was a false pretence to grab the land of the poor for the rich.
We also condemn the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for the role of the police in aligning with thugs to attack residents and the subtle threat asking residents of Oworoshoki not to protest. The CP, in a bid to justify the nefarious activities of his men, referred to those living in Oworoshoki as criminals. This is unprofessional and despicable policing from a senior police officer. One would believe that a police institution that claims to be enforcing “court order” on the case of Omoyele Sowore and Abuja 13, would be responsible for enforcing the court order of Justice A.G Balogun restraining such demolition in Oworoshoki, Instead, the Police led attacks against the residents and unleashed havoc on innocent citizens whom they should be protecting. We condemn this notoriety by the Police and demand that all officers involved in this gruesome attack must be brought to book.
It is our stern belief in the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) that by rendering thousands, majority of them children and young adults, homeless, Lagos State is exposing them to hardship and terrible conditions that can make people turn to crime or become victims of crime. To be clear, the growing high rate of crime in Lagos is partly a product of the poverty and homelessness which has been the fate of thousands. A serious government ought to be addressing this underlying cause of crime instead of compounding an already bad situation.
Besides, among properties illegally demolished were schools. As a result, many children have been callously thrown out of school in the middle of a term.
We demand immediate adequate compensation, including provision of alternative decent accommodation for all victims of the cruel demolition in Oworonshoki, Ajegunle, Makoko and other places. No one deserves to be homeless in a state blessed with abundant resources to ensure citizens have access to decent housing.
Adaramoye Michael Lenin,
National Coordinator
Francis Nwapa,
National Secretary
YRC email: [email protected]