By: Sunday Ameh
Fresh tension erupted in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos on Saturday as officials of the Lagos State Task Force reportedly resumed demolition activities in the Precious Seed community, despite earlier assurances that the exercise had been suspended.
Residents said bulldozers, accompanied by armed task force officers, arrived in the area early Saturday morning and began pulling down structures — a move that sparked outrage and panic among locals who had yet to recover from a previous wave of demolitions.
The renewed exercise, according to residents, contradicts earlier promises by both the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Oba of Oworonshoki that no further demolitions would be carried out.
One of the residents, who shared video evidence of the ongoing exercise, said, “Task Force has just led a caterpillar that wants to begin another demolition again at Oworo this morning after both the Commissioner of Police and the Oba promised that nothing of such would happen again when the Third Mainland Bridge was shut down.”
Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, expressed dismay over what he described as “government betrayal,” saying, “We were promised that it would stop, but here we are again facing the same nightmare. The government and traditional leaders must be held accountable.”
The Take-It-Back Movement and the Oworonshoki Demolition Victims’ Coalition have condemned the action, describing it as a “blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law.” The groups called on the state government to provide adequate compensation and resettlement for displaced residents.
However, the Oba of Oworonshoki, Oba Babatunde Saliu, has insisted that those affected were illegal occupants, claiming the land had long been acquired by the state government from his family.
Residents have since rejected the monarch’s claim, maintaining that many of them have lived peacefully in the community for over 60 years.
As tension continues to mount, community leaders have urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene and open dialogue with residents to prevent further destruction and possible unrest in the area.
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