Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has faulted the Lagos State government for demolishing more than 100 houses in Oworonshoki despite an existing court order restraining the exercise. The demolition, which reportedly took place at midnight, has drawn widespread criticism and left many residents homeless.
The lawyer said that on October 23, Justice A.G. Balogun of the Lagos High Court issued an injunction stopping the state government, the Commissioner for Physical Planning, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency from pulling down houses located on Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Extension in the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area. Despite the order, he alleged that officials, accompanied by armed policemen and hired thugs, carried out fresh demolitions, forcing residents out of their homes.
Residents told reporters that teargas was fired to disperse those who tried to stop the operation. Many were injured during the clash and forced to spend the night outside after their homes were reduced to rubble. The demolition, they said, began around midnight and continued into the early hours of the morning.
Falana said the action violated the injunction issued by the court and compared it to a 1986 Supreme Court judgment which warned against using force while a matter is still before the court. He described the incident as a clear case of disregard for the rule of law and due process.
The demolition has worsened the housing crisis in Lagos, as many families in Oworonshoki have been left without shelter. Some residents said they lost both their homes and means of livelihood in the process. They appealed to the government for help, saying the destruction came without warning or proper notice.
Despite an earlier directive from the Lagos State House of Assembly halting further demolitions, reports show that the exercise continued. The move has sparked outrage among civil society groups, human rights advocates, and community leaders, who are demanding accountability from the state government.
Falana has urged the authorities to respect the law and provide immediate relief for affected families, insisting that such actions erode public trust and violate citizens’ constitutional rights to property and justice.