• Accuses state govt of ethnic cleansing
• Urges Sanwo-Olu to create IDPs camp for homeless victims
A group, Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, has described the demolition of over 500 houses in Ilaje Otumara community, in the Mainland Local Council of Lagos State, as a form of ethnic cleansing, which will be resisted at all cost.
President-General of the group, Iwamitigha Raphael Irowainu, during a media briefing, yesterday, said the leadership of the group had gathered that the same treatment given to Ilaje Otumara community would be extended to all Ilaje communities in the state, especially Ijora Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ayetoro, Orioke Alala, Bariga, Ajah-Lekki, and Itedo community, among others.
“The route of this illegal demolition started on February 11, 2025 when officials of the state government came to Otumara community with armed policemen and some area boys. They told the residents to leave the community within three days without prior notice.
“In response to this threat of ejection and demolition, members of the community in large number protested to the governor’s office at Alausa, Ikeja on February 12, 2025, where the governor denied through his representative that they are not aware of any intending demolition in Otumara community and that the people should go about their lawful activities,” he said.
He said that between March 7 and 10, the agents succeeded in demolishing all the houses in the community, noting that they have reliably gathered that the same treatment will be given to other Ilaje communities in Lagos State.
Irowainu, who appealed to President Bola Tinubu to direct the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant heads of security agencies to cause comprehensive investigation into the matter, with a view to bring all perpetrators to book and prevent the breakdown of law and order, also called on the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to create Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp with adequate relief materials to ameliorate the condition of the victims of the illegal demolition.
