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- Fresh fear grips residents of 36 streets as more destruction looms
- Widows, other victims recount horror, say about 500 houses demolished
- Falana, ex-homeowners, Lagos govt trade words over court order, compensation claim
By Olakunle Olafioye and Kehinde Aderemi
Like vultures feasting sumptuously on carrion, scavengers descended in their numbers on the debris of demolished buildings at Toluwalase Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos last Tuesday, digging, hewing and shipping out tons and tons of valuables as scraps from the site.
The buildings on Toluwalase were pulled down penultimate weekend barely two months after a similar fate had befallen residents of the adjoining Ojileru Street situated along the expressway.
Apart from the two streets, residents of a few other streets in the community, including Ososa, Ferry, Coker Road, Berger, and Afinjuomo are equally counting their losses following the demolition of their houses.
Saturday Sun, however, scooped that the ill-wind of demolition blowing in Oworonshoki might not ease off any time soon as no fewer than 36 streets in the area have been reportedly pencilled down for demolition.
Genesis
Bulldozers, the harbinger of tears and anguish, had crept stealthily into the community in the late hours of Friday, October 24, after most people had retired to bed, sending jitters down the spines of residents of the community as those who were still awake at the time conveyed the ominous message round in the area.
A similar sight in September had resulted in the levelling of the entire Ojileru Street where close to 100 houses were reportedly demolished.
The bulldozers, accompanied by scores of security operatives, soon set to work, this time around at the neighbouring Toluwalase Street. Victims claimed that the security operatives fired teargas canisters to disperse the residents, majority of whom were just waking from their sleep, forcing them to scamper to safety and leading to the reported death of an infant.
Like the previous exercise at Ojileru Street, the bulldozers growled and rumbled relentlessly from Friday night till the early morning of Sunday, October 26, bringing the once bustling and lively street down to ruins.
The entry of the bulldozers into the community and the subsequent hasty demolition of the entire buildings on the street were not without intrigues. About 48 hours to the commencement of the demolition exercises, Saturday Sun gathered, the residents of the street had secured a High Court order stopping the planned demolition.
A community leader and victim, Pastor Adewusi Oluwole told the reporters that concerned authorities and agencies were duly served with the court order.
He, however, expressed shock and disbelief at what he described as the flagrant disobedience of the court order by the state government following the destruction.
The gale of demolitions in Oworonshoki was said to have begun in 2023, but residents of the community were said to have erroneously believed that the exercise was a one-off development.
However, signs that the evil wind was nowhere near its end, multiplied in the recent months. It began again when sometime in April, people said to be agents of the state government made a suspicious visit to the community and marked some houses in the neighbourhood.
One of the victims, Mrs Jancintah Onuzu, a 62-year-widow, said members of the community later met with the traditional ruler, Oloworo of Oworonshoki, Oba Babatunde Saliu, to enquire what the suspicious visit was all about. “Kabiyesi told us that the import of the visit was to inform us about the need to renovate and put our houses in order so as not to incur the wrath of the government for violating environmental laws in the state,” she stated
Surprisingly, however, like a thief in the night, the government demolition team moved into the area in the wee hours of September 5 and began the demolition exercise, which saw the entire Ojileru Street level reduced to rubble.
Victims count losses, recount ordeals
When Saturday Sun correspondents visited the area at the weekend, some victims of the exercise were seen digging up the rubble ostensibly in search of their valuables and personal belongings buried in the debris. They claimed they were taken unawares by the exercise and were not allowed to move their belongings. Some others were seen alongside scrap buyers selling items they could salvage from their demolished property, mostly iron and roofing materials.
Those who spoke to our correspondent lamented their losses and accused the Oloworo, Oba Babatunde Saliu of conniving with the state government to forcefully take over their land.
Madam Jancintah Onuzu, a widow and mother of six, said she has been rendered homeless by the development along with her six children. Onuzu who said she lost her husband 12 years ago, said she had worked relentlessly to build her house from a three room-apartment built by her late husband before his death and extended it with five self-contained apartments before it was demolished.
“My six children and I have been rendered homeless. We now take shelter at St. Saviour Catholic Church at night while I come here with my children during day time to sell,” she said.
Also speaking, another victim of the demolition, Pastor Adewusi Oluwole said he lost a 17-flat property which he built with over N100 million naira three years ago.
Pastor Oluwole, who claimed to have been residing in Oworoshonki since 1972 when his mother brought him to the area, revealed that the government flagrantly disregarded a court order stopping the destruction of their property.
“We got a court order from the Lagos State High Court on Thursday to stop the continued demolition of the area after the September 6 demolition exercise and we served it on Friday to all the ministries that were involved so that they would be aware that the matter was already in court.
“The ministries and agencies involved are LASBCA and LASURA. We served the Physical Planning and Management, and we served the Urban and Rural Development. All of them have been served, all the agencies concerned. The judgment was given on Thursday and it was served on Friday and they knew the document had been handed over to them but they are denying it. ” he stated.
Oluwole put the number of buildings that were pulled down in the area at close to 500. “If we are talking of the houses that were here, you should be talking of close to 500 buildings. You can imagine the numbers of children that have been rendered homeless here. Some households have five family members. All the children are now homeless and homeles. There were Schools here. Companies were here. We have pensioners who are over 70 years and 80 years old among us. Their houses have been demolished. They have been rendered homeless. Their means of livelihood and sustainability have been taken away. Personally, I have lost an investment that is worth over 100 million naira. I just put the house up, not for up to three years. It was demolished on Sunday. So what are we talking about?” Oluwole questioned dejectedly.
Another victim, who is also a widow, Mrs. Helen Abolarin told this newspaper that her late husband built the house in 1992, adding that the family had been residing in it until it was pulled down last Saturday. “Since that Saturday night, I have been sleeping in the rubble and in the open because I have nowhere to go. I sleep here with my children. I am a widow. I lost my husband in 2017 and since then I have been living here before the demolition. I have all the documents of the house with me,” she said.
Mrs Abolarin said the resolve by the landlords to take the matter to court was borne out of the frustration they encountered in an attempt not to fall victims after the September demolition exercise on Ojileru Street.
Her words: “LASBCA officials came on May 5 and marked our houses. So we met with Kabiyesi to tell him about the development and he instructed us that we should renovate our buildings and perfect our documents. But the agency later came and wrote “sealed” on the buildings after the initial markings.
“As a widow, I borrowed money to renovate my house and other landlords did the same thing. We went back to Kabiyesi to tell him that we have done as he had instructed.
“But not up to a month after the meeting with the Kabiyesi, the Lagos State Government agency invaded our street with bulldozers and police officers accompanying them started firing tear gas at the people. It was at midnight that they started the illegal demolition from the beginning of the street.
“So we rushed to see the Lagos State House of Assembly member representing our area, Kosofe Constituency 01, Hon Sanni Ganiyu Babatunde Okanlawon (OKLA) at his residence in Mende in the middle of the night to seek his assistance. He came the following day to stop the people from demolishing our houses and they stopped the demolition then. We later went to him to seek his advice on the next thing for us to do in order to stop the Lagos State Government from continuing with the demolition.
“As we were doing all these, we were also trying to meet with Kabiyesi but he was not always available. Each time we wanted to seek Kabiyesi’s audience concerning our plight, we would not be allowed to see him on the excuse that he was not around. When all available options remained elusive, we later decided to seek legal redress by going to court to get an injunction against the illegal demolition of our houses.
“We got the court order on Thursday and our lawyer served the order on all the agencies that were involved. But it was shortly thereafter, that was on Friday, that we saw a bulldozer there.
“We decided to paste the court order on every building for them to see it.
“But on Saturday night, they invaded our community with many more bulldozers. We were not allowed to take any of our belongings, not even a pin,” she lamented.
For Mr. Sunday Udo, a carpenter whose workshop was pulled down during the demolition exercise, his immediate headache now is how to get back on his feet after his workshop went down with the houses of the people he had served to eke out his living in the past years.
“This used to be my workshop,” Udoh began, pointing to the debris, “The people whose houses have been demolished were the same people I have worked for, for many years to feed my family. Now they have been sent away and their houses destroyed. I have to look for another place to start afresh,” he stated.
Udoh continued: “I observed that those involved in the demolition have no fear of God; no human feelings.
“If truly it is government land and you want to take it, there are procedures for doing that. I suspect rich men, well-meaning Nigerians have eyes on this land.”
Chorus of betrayal
Multiple sources who are mostly victims accused the traditional ruler, Oloworo of Oworo, Oba Saliu, of having a hand in the plights of the victims. Many of those who spoke to Saturday Sun accused the monarch of always embarking on suspicious trips before and during demolition exercises only to return after the exercise had been concluded.
One of the sources who craved anonymity for the fear of being persecuted said the king who had previously denied the knowledge of those behind the demolition recently stated publicly that the entire Oworo was under government acquisition.
According to the source, “whenever they wanted to carry out demolition exercises, Kabiyesi Oloworo would travel, but after the demolition, he would return. Yes, that has been his style and pattern.
“Recently he stood in his palace and declared that the whole of Oworo was a government acquisition. Can you imagine that? Most of us have lived in Oworo for more than 50 years. There was never a time we heard a report that Oworo belonged to the government. The people of Ojileru whose houses have been demolished have the Kabiyesi’s family receipts for their land.
“Let Kabiyesi come and defend it in the court that his father sold the land he has now dubbed as government acquisition. We have done our investigation about the land in Oworo; it’s not government acquisition. Oworo is free from government acquisition. And we all know that, the government knows.
“That’s why they are afraid to come out. If the government wants to take any land, the government has power to do that. But it has to follow a due process.
“Our Oba has failed us. The Oba does not know his duty that as a king he has the responsibility to protect lives and property of his people,” the source lamented.
Blank response from palace
When Saturday Sun correspondents visited the palace of the king, his secretary, who identified himself simply as Demilade, said that the royal father was not available. He however promised to get back when he returned but he has yet to.
Meanwhile, the correspondents ran into a relation of the Oba, who identified himself as Abdulateef Oloworo. Abdulateef, who also claimed to be a victim of the demolition exercise, rose in strident defence of the royal father.
His words: “Kabieysi had made it known that he knew nothing about the demolition of the houses in Oworonshoki. The plan to demolish Oworo had been on for a long time. The late Oloworo, Oba Bashiru Oloruntoyin Saliu, who was on the throne for 21 years did his best to prevent the government from demolishing Oworonshoki.
“Also, the new Oloworo too tried to prevent the government from demolishing it but the state government was adamant. He had said repeatedly that he didn’t instigate the demolition.
“I am also a victim. The day my house was demolished, I had consoled those whose houses were demolished in the morning, not knowing that I would also be affected. They came with the bulldozer around 4:30pm and demolished my house. We have got the Governor’s Consent for the house that was demolished and the other documents were still under processing before it was pulled down.
Govt’s response
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, has denied allegations that the state government wilfully disobeyed a subsisting court order by continuing the demolition of houses in Oworonshoki, describing the claim as “false and unfair.”
In an interview with journalists, Pedro insisted that no order of court was ever served on any agency of the Lagos State Government before the latest phase of demolition took place, contrary to reports that the exercise violated a restraining order obtained by residents.
“As of today, I am aware of the court order they are talking about. However, before the demolition exercise they are complaining about, the order was not served on any government agency. I believe the order was endorsed on Friday, October 24, the same day the demolition took place. Even if the order was obtained that day, can a government office be served on Saturday? As at that time, no government agency was aware of any such order,” Pedro explained.
The Attorney General maintained that government agencies cannot act on “verbal notice” of a court decision, insisting that until a formal service of process is made, the government cannot be accused of contempt.
“If there has been any order said to have been violated, my position is that no such order was brought to the attention of any government agency before the act being complained about,” he stated.
Speaking on the demolition, Pedro said the process began nearly a month ago but was temporarily halted on the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to allow residents time to relocate.
He disclosed that the government had compensated affected persons despite doubts about their legal ownership of the properties.
“The demolition started almost a month ago. It was stopped by the governor’s directive, and the people were thereafter paid compensation to enable them to relocate. The case they are now referring to wasn’t even filed until recently even though they were aware of the government plan of demolition over a month ago,” the commissioner stated.
More controversy over govt’s compensation claim
Meanwhile, the victims who spoke to Saturday Sun denied getting any compensation from the government, describing the compensation claim as a blatant lie. Abdulateef, whose house was demolished at Ososa, said those that were reportedly compensated are not the genuine victims. “They are people that didn’t even have a house in the area.
They gave forms to the wrong people, including okada riders who didn’t have a house in the area. That was why they willingly collected ridiculous money which I learned ranged from N200, 000, N500, 000 to N1 million,” he said.
Also speaking, Pastor Oluwole debunked the claim that the government paid compensation to the victims. “The whole rumour about compensation is an arrangement with the Oba of Oworo. If the government wants to pay compensation, why would it be in the palace? It’s not supposed to be in the palace! We went for a town meeting and the CDC chairman called me to the palace. But I told him I would not go. They should arrange a town hall meeting that will involve the whole community.
“If you want to give us compensation , you are supposed to do the evaluation of our property. I don’t want a giveaway. Even if my house is worth 100 million naira, you cannot give me 100 million naira as compensation. How much do you want to give me as a government? I would want to be sure of that first,” he said.
Falana, victims, Lagos govt trade words over court order, compensation claim
Meanwhile the law firm of Falana and Falana has said that the Lagos State Government was duly served with the court order halting the demolition exercise but that the government flagrantly defied the court order.
A statement signed by Taiwo Olanwanle, counsel to Falana & Falana Chambers insisted that the Lagos State Government was duly served with the court order restraining further demolition of buildings in Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwase Extension within the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development area of Oworonshoki, Lagos State.
“To set the record straight, the order was given on the 23rd day of October 2025. The enrolled order was served on the office of the Honourable Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Lagos State, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, respectively, before 3 p.m. on Friday, 24th of October 2025, with duly acknowledged copies,” the statement read.
The firm disclosed that despite receiving the order, the state proceeded with demolitions the same day. “After some hours of serving the court order, our office phone lines were inundated with calls from residents informing us that over 50 armed policemen with heavy-duty vehicles were already stationed around the location to commence a fresh demolition,” the statement added.
According to the firm, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, made direct calls to senior government officials, including Mr. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, the former General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and current Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, urging compliance with the court’s directive.
However, the firm alleged that Mr. Oki bluntly refused, threatening that the demolition exercise would continue despite the restraining order. “Mr. Oki threatened that the demolition would continue despite the court order and ‘nothing would happen’,” the statement said.
The law firm described the continued demolition in the face of a valid court order as an act of lawlessness and impunity, stressing that even if the government was unaware of the order, it still lacked the legal power to demolish any property without court approval.
“Assuming without conceding that the Lagos State Government was unaware of the order, they lack the power to demolish any property in Lagos State without a court sanction. Doing otherwise, as in this occasion, amounts to lawlessness and impunity,” the firm noted.”
