Anger as Lagos residents storm assembly complex over demolition

Residents of Oke-Egan of Eleko Area of Ajah, Lagos, has stormed the State House of Assembly complex, over demolition of their homes.

Their visit is to seek for compensation over their homes that were demolished.

The entrance of the assembly complex was blocked by the residents on Wednesday while they held banners with vividly written slogans and placards with inscriptions to voice their sorrow.

Some of the inscriptions read: “We have been demoralised, nowhere to go. “We want our properties back.

Others include: “Our hearts bleed; “We now roam the streets with nowhere to stay; Our children are crying; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, your children are homeless; Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, please come to our rescue.”

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Dr Taiwo Alalade, lamented that her entire family, including three toddlers and her elderly mother, had been sleeping out in the open after their house was demolished.

She said, “One of us has four buildings here. We have all the papers. They demolished all four buildings. Now, I don’t have anywhere to go.

“Sanwo-Olu should help us so that they will stop the demolition. We were not informed before they started demolishing our houses. We don’t know these people at all.

“I went to work. When I came back, I saw my house in ashes. This shirt I put on has been on me for three days now.

“All my brothers and sisters don’t have anywhere to go. All our belongings have been lost. Where do they want us to go? Where do we start from?

“The state government should tell us where they want us to go. They have succeeded in rendering us homeless. We have been sleeping outside since our house was burnt. If it’s raining, we only cover ourselves with a canopy.”

Pastor Abiodun Ajayi, whose was also demolished, expressed his anguish at seeing the destruction of someone’s home.

“My house was the first to be demolished and we couldn’t take anything out of the house.

“They got there at 3.00 a.m, and they started the demolition by 5.00 a.m. They came with thugs and we could not talk.

“We have been coming here, we wrote letters and Oba Akiolu of Lagos also wrote a letter on our behalf, because we want to be lawful,” Ajayi said.

The Majority Leader, Hon Noheem Adams, who was accompanied by his colleagues – Mr Oladipupo Ajomale, Mr Fatai Mojeed and Mr Tijani Suraju, responded and commend them for their peaceful conduct.

The respondent Noheem, stated that their letter will be presented to the Speaker of the house, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, and that necessary steps would be taken to provide them with some relief.