Hundreds of angry residents from the Oworonshoki community in Lagos blocked a section of the 3rd Mainland Bridge earlier today, causing massive traffic gridlock.
The protest was in response to the overnight demolition of their homes, which they claim was done without proper notice or a plan for resettlement.
In an on-the-ground report from News Central TV, protesters stated that the demolition happened in the middle of the night, leaving many people, including the elderly and children, homeless.
One resident named Yemi said the community had been given a notice in April to “beautify” their structures, not an eviction notice.
According to Yemi, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred. He claimed that in 2023, similar demolitions took place, leading to the deaths of residents from shock and heart attacks.
He also alleged that the local government chairman, who was at the site earlier, claimed to be unaware of the latest demolition, a claim residents disputed.
A musician whose studio was destroyed during the demolition shared his pain, stating that he was not given any notice.
The protesters, many of whom have been sleeping on the streets since their homes were demolished, stated that they decided to protest on the Third Mainland Bridge to get the world’s attention.
“If they don’t stop this demolition, we will sleep here. We prefer to die on the highway than people dying inside with hypertension,” said Yemi.
The protesters accused the government of trying to create a “mega city without the poor” and vowed to continue their demonstration until a solution is found.
