Hundreds of property owners and occupants in a neighbourhood located in the Ojo axis of Lagos State on Thursday organised a peaceful protest over what they described as a planned demolition of more than 300 residential buildings for a railway infrastructure project reportedly linked to the Lagos urban transport expansion.
The demonstrators moved through several streets within the community while displaying placards calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to step in and review the situation before any action is taken.
According to the protesters, the proposed demolition exercise could lead to the displacement of thousands of people and may affect residential houses, churches, mosques, medical centres, shops, and other small businesses operating in the area.
Residents insisted that the proposed action is unfair and does not follow proper legal procedures. They alleged that officials have been intimidating occupants and ignoring a court directive which they claim stopped the demolition from taking place.
Speaking on behalf of the affected community, the coordinator of the residents’ group, Iniobong Offiong, explained that the location consists of four different estates containing about 315 buildings with an estimated population of roughly 20,000 inhabitants. He stated that the estates were developed gradually over many years and currently serve as the only homes for many families.
He further claimed that government representatives, accompanied by security officers, visited the neighbourhood in May 2025 under the claim that they were carrying out a population count. Residents later received information that the land had already been marked for acquisition and demolition.
Authorities were said to have justified the decision by stating that the land is required for a proposed train depot connected to the Lagos rail transport project, which is part of the wider effort to improve public transportation in the state.
However, the community leadership questioned the explanation, arguing that a large portion of land previously obtained for the same rail project by an earlier administration is still unused, raising concerns about why another fully developed settlement should be affected.
Offiong stated that residents were informed their buildings could be removed within a short period of time despite the existence of alternative land already reserved for the same purpose. He maintained that extending the project into an already populated environment without clear justification is unacceptable.
The community also revealed that several petitions have been sent to different authorities, including the Lagos State Government, security agencies, and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, but no definite response has been received, which led residents to seek legal protection.
According to him, the residents obtained an interim order from the Federal High Court directing that the demolition should not proceed until the matter is resolved. Despite this, he alleged that officials have continued to enter the area with security personnel to carry out inspections and collect information about private properties, an action the community described as disrespect for the rule of law.
He also claimed that there have been attempts to reduce resistance among residents, including reports that some tenants were persuaded to leave the area, while there were also complaints of power supply interruptions believed to be linked to the ongoing dispute.
One elderly resident, who said he is close to 75 years old, described the situation as emotionally difficult, explaining that many people living in the area do not have another place to move to if the demolition happens.
Members of the community also raised humanitarian concerns, noting that the neighbourhood is home to elderly citizens, widows, and children who may become homeless if the demolition is carried out.
Residents claimed that the stress caused by the development has already affected some individuals, alleging that at least one person died after being unable to cope with the anxiety surrounding the issue.
They further stated that officials from the physical planning department who inspected the area reportedly confirmed that the land is largely occupied, which contradicts earlier suggestions that the location is mostly empty.
According to the protesters, a mediation meeting expected to hold between community representatives and the transport authority did not take place because officials of the agency did not attend.
The residents therefore appealed to the Lagos State Government to halt the planned demolition and return to the original rail development plan which, according to them, would not require the destruction of homes.
They also called on civil society organisations and media platforms to highlight the situation so that what they described as an unlawful acquisition of private property can be prevented.
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