Hundreds of landlords and residents in a community within the Ojo area of Lagos State, on Thursday, staged a protest against an alleged plan by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, and other agencies to demolish more than 300 homes for a rail project.
The demonstrators, who marched through parts of the neighbourhood, carried placards appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene.
Some of the inscriptions warned that the proposed demolition could displace tens of thousands of residents and affect homes, places of worship, healthcare facilities and businesses.
The protesters described the planned exercise as unjust and contrary to due process, alleging intimidation and harassment by officials, as well as disregard for an existing court order said to have halted the demolition.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the group’s coordinator, Iniobong Offiong, said the affected area comprises four estates, with about 315 houses and an estimated population of 20,000 people developed over several decades.
He alleged that government officials, accompanied by security personnel, entered the community in May 2025 under the guise of conducting a census, only to later inform residents that the area had been earmarked for acquisition and demolition.
According to him, the authorities justified the move on grounds of overriding public interest, stating that the land was needed for a proposed train depot linked to the Lagos rail project.
However, Offiong questioned the rationale, noting that a large expanse of land reportedly acquired for the same purpose by a previous administration remains undeveloped.
“We were informed that our homes would be pulled down within four months, yet there is already a vast parcel of land designated for the depot that has not been utilised. There is no clear justification for extending the project into a fully built and occupied community,” he said.
He added that despite petitions to relevant authorities, including the state government, the police and the Lagos State House of Assembly, the community had yet to receive a concrete response, prompting legal action.
Offiong disclosed that residents secured an interim injunction from a Federal High Court restraining the demolition, but alleged that the order has not been respected.
“Despite the court directive, officials continue to enter the area with security operatives, conducting surveys and collecting data on private properties. This reflects a disregard for the rule of law,” he said.
He further alleged attempts to weaken opposition within the community, claiming that some tenants had been offered inducements to vacate, while there were efforts to disrupt electricity supply to the area.
A resident, a retiree who said he is nearly 75 years old, described the situation as distressing, stressing that many occupants have no alternative accommodation.
“This is my only home. Any compensation must be sufficient to secure a similar property in Lagos; anything less would be unfair,” he said.
Residents also expressed concern over the humanitarian implications of the proposed demolition, noting that the community includes vulnerable groups such as elderly persons, widows and children who could be rendered homeless.
They claimed that at least one resident had died after being unable to cope with the anxiety triggered by the development.
The community further alleged that physical planning officials who visited the area confirmed that it is largely occupied, contradicting claims that the land is mostly vacant.
According to them, a proposed mediation meeting between stakeholders and the transport authority did not take place, as representatives of the agency allegedly failed to attend.
The protesters urged the state government to suspend the demolition plan and revert to the original rail project design, which they said would not require displacement of residents.
They also called on civil society groups and the media to draw attention to their situation and help prevent what they described as an unlawful takeover of their properties.