.Residents say they were caught unawares, Police deny protest

Some distressed residents, yesterday, blocked the Lekki-Epe expressway to protest the demolition of their properties by the Lagos State government.

Many of the affected residents were seen carrying their belongings to the road to draw the government’s attention to their plight.

Tens of houses in Hopeville Estate were demolished, while residents of Jakande Estate sealed off their access roads. Security personnel, including anti-riot policemen enforcing the demolition were, however, deployed to break the barricades.

The Lagos State government had, on Friday, commenced the demolition of what it described as “illegal structures or structures without permit” , and other buildings along the coastal road.

Accompanied by security personnel, a task force from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) descended upon the estate with two bulldozers and other heavy machinery for a demolition exercise.

LASBCA maintained that prior notices of the demolition were served on the residents.
However, the residents claimed the span of the notices was insufficient, adding that there was a pending court case served on the government. As a result, they said they were caught unprepared.

A visit to the estate revealed a scene of devastation, with many buildings reduced to rubble, while debris lay scattered across the streets. Some hapless homeowners were seen selling off salvaged scraps and materials to scavengers. Furniture and household appliances were seen on sidewalks, a testament to the abrupt displacement.

A resident said: “We saw truckloads of police officers, and bulldozers moving to the area without any notification to anybody. They began to break people’s houses everywhere. Many people who were living in their houses were suddenly thrown out, and had to sleep on the streets through the night between Friday and Saturday.

“Most of the people were outside when the rain was falling in the middle of the night. The demolition has continued, up till this time. We still don’t understand who is behind this and what is going on.”

Meanwhile, the Representative of Eti Osa Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Noheem Adams, yesterday, intervened on the matter. He also prevented a breakdown of law and order at Ilasan Housing Estate as bulldozers moved in. He held an emergency meeting with elders of the community, assuring them that he has called on the appropriate authorities to ensure they stopped the ongoing demolition.

President of Ilasan Housing Estate Landlords Association, Oluwaseyi Orioye, lamented the demolition of three blocks of flats, following the demolition of Ghana School, an extension of the estate. He said some blocks, namely 350, 351 and 349 were erroneously demolished.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Police Command has said there was no protest on the Lekki-Epe Expressway as a result of the demolition of shanties in the Jakande area of Ajah, Eti-Osa Local Council of the state.

Spokesperson for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin spoke in reaction to the viral video yesterday, where hoodlums were seen blocking the roads with tyres and throwing bottles and stones at the commuters to prevent them from using the blocked routes.