Hundreds of landlords and residents have been rendered homeless after officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development alongside security agents and hoodlums demolished about 200 buildings at Oke-Ira community, in the Igbogbo Bayeku Local Council Development Area of the state.
During the 10-hour demolition exercise, three landlords reportedly died from shock.
No fewer than eight landlords, who were also traumatised by the incident, were said to be recuperating in different hospitals.
It was gathered that normal activities were ongoing when the government team stormed the community with three bulldozers around 10am, when some of the landlords and residents had gone to their workplaces.
Without presenting a demolition order, the available landlords and residents claimed that the government officials, led by one Engineer Omotoso, claimed that they were acting on the orders of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The affected members of the community explained that as the demolition was ongoing, the hoodlums in the team prevented them from retrieving their property.
A Landlord in the community, Akinkunmi Olapade, said hundreds of family members were displaced after the demolition.
He said, “The value of my demolished building is N25m. Around 10am, I discovered that some government officials came into the community with policemen, soldiers, hoodlums, and some bulldozers from Lagos State Town Planning.
“I met with the policemen and I was directed to one Engineer Omotoso, who said they were in the community for demolition. Over 100 buildings were demolished on New Life Estate, and the remaining 100 buildings were demolished outside the estate, but still on the Oke Ira Family land.
They never gave us any notice of demolition; they just came in and started demolishing buildings. As I speak to you, I sleep in my car every day. I left my family at a friend’s place; the room could not contain all of us, so I told them I would find somewhere else to sleep. I have been sleeping in the car.
“The hoodlums injured some of the landlords who were hospitalised. We have recorded two deaths because as they demolished their houses in their presence, they collapsed and were rushed to hospitals, where they died. One of the dead landlords was Mr Omotayo.”
Another landlord, Olakunle Dankuwo, who said his property was worth N27m, demanded justice.
He said, “This incident has set a lot of landlords back; some of the landlords are in shock as they collected loans to acquire the property and now everything is gone.
“I had my family members and an aged grandma living with me. I relocated them to my brother’s place as I am still trying to sort out accommodation. They did not allow us to pick anything from the house despite my grandma begging the hoodlums.
