Lagos community, building agency disagree over demolished ancestral homes
Residents of the Ilaje Otumara Community, which is part of the Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State, have accused the Lagos State Building Control Agency of demolishing their ancestral homes without notice.
The agency, however, dismissed the allegation as “unfair.”
Speaking on behalf of the residents on Wednesday, the President-General of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, Iwamitigha Irowainu, condemned the demolitions, stating that they had left many families homeless.
Describing the demolition as “satanic, inhumane, and illegal,” Irowainu revealed that “over 5,000 houses with an estimated population of about 500,000 people” were affected.
According to him, the demolition has devastated the life investments of property owners in the community.
“The President-General and his entourage were held hostage for about three hours before they were rescued by the police. The hoodlums also attacked the invited journalists and chased away the victims of the illegal demolition,” Irowainu recounted.
Irowainu further alleged that “the illegal demolition began on February 11, 2025, when the Lagos State Building Control Agency boss arrived in Otumara Community with armed policemen and some area boys, ordering residents to vacate within three days without prior notice.”
In response to this eviction threat, he noted that “a large number of community members staged a protest at the Governor’s Office in Alausa on February 12, 2025. Through his representative, the governor denied knowledge of any planned demolition in Otumara Community and assured the residents to go about their lawful activities.”
Irowainu has now called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to “create an internally displaced persons camp with adequate relief materials to alleviate the suffering of the victims of this illegal demolition.”
Speaking with PUNCH Metro in a telephone interview on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Adu Ademuyiwa, dismissed the residents’ accusations as unfair, stating that the agency had engaged them in multiple discussions regarding their alleged illegal occupation of the land.
“What they have said is not true. They were staying there illegally. We invited them and held several meetings with them,” Ademuyiwa said. “Ask any of them if they have any documents to prove ownership of the land. We had meetings with them not once, not twice,” he added.
He further said, “We gave them notice since last year and still held meetings with them this year. Even their Baale was present at one of the meetings. I was privy to part of the discussions. For them to claim otherwise, they are not being fair.”
Disputes between the state government and property owners are recurring in Lagos.
In July 2023, the state government carried out demolitions in Oworonshoki.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, stated that the action was necessary to eliminate hoodlums using some of the structures as hideouts.
