The Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide has petitioned the Lagos State House of Assembly over the alleged illegal demolition of Ilaje Otumara Community, which they claim displaced about 500,000 residents and destroyed thousands of homes.

The petition, addressed to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, and signed by the group’s President, Prince Iwamitigha Irowainu, was submitted during a peaceful protest at the Assembly complex. It was titled “Petition Against Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya, the Oloto of Otto, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and others.”

According to the petitioners, the demolition began on February 11, 2025, when government officials, accompanied by armed policemen and suspected hoodlums, ordered community members to vacate within three days without prior notice. The group said residents staged a protest at the governor’s office on February 12, where they were assured that the government was not aware of any demolition plans.

However, they alleged that on February 18, the officials returned with security operatives and thugs to issue fresh threats, directing residents to approach Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya, the Oloto of Otto, if they wished to stop the exercise.

The group further claimed that despite the community’s land being the subject of ongoing litigation before Justice Sule-Amsat of the Lagos High Court, the demolition was carried out between March 7 and March 20, 2025. They described the action as a violation of due process and contempt of court.

Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide is demanding the arrest and prosecution of those involved, as well as compensation for victims. They also urged the Assembly to stop the Oloto and his associates from taking further steps on the disputed land, and called on the state government to provide adequate security for Ilaje communities.

The petitioners appealed to the government to recognise Ilajes as bona fide indigenes of Lagos, warning that continued neglect could force the people to defend themselves.

Addressing the protesters, Solomon Bonu Saanu, who represents Badagry Constituency 1, advised them to formally document their grievances, assuring that the Assembly would invite all parties concerned to resolve the dispute.