Over 30,000 people in Oworoshoki, Lagos, have been left homeless following a wave of violent demolitions carried out by state authorities. Families lost homes, businesses, and community spaces in demolitions executed overnight by a joint government task force.
For many residents who survive on daily wages and petty trade, the demolitions have destroyed both shelter and livelihood. Amnesty International and other rights groups say the forced evictions were carried out without prior consultation, compensation, or resettlement plans.
Since July 2023, more than 1,500 homes have been demolished in Oworoshoki alone. Amnesty International has recorded at least 12 deaths linked to trauma and worsening living conditions. The group warns that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s justification of the demolitions under “urban planning” policies shifts the burden of failed city planning onto Lagos’s poorest residents.
These demolitions are part of a broader pattern. Between November 2016 and April 2017, over 30,000 people were evicted from Otodo-Gbame and Ilubirin communities, despite court orders prohibiting the action. That operation led to at least 11 deaths, with 17 people still missing.
Human rights observers believe the continued evictions in Lagos are tied to land grabbing, where land from poor communities is handed to private developers and politically connected elites.
Forced evictions are prohibited under international law. They strip people of dignity, livelihood, and the right to adequate housing. Rights groups are calling on the Lagos State Government to halt all demolitions, respect housing rights, and provide safe alternatives for displaced residents.
