Jide Ojo, a victim displaced by the Makoko demolition in Lagos State, has claimed that no fewer than six people have died due to what he described as inhumane and illegal demolitions in the area.
Ojo made this known on Saturday during an interview on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST.
He said the experience of the demolition process in Lagos has been traumatic, unpleasant, and horrible.
Ojo alleged that it was a situation where they had government officials come to talk about regeneration, upgrading, and development with members of the community, only to suddenly turn it into unexpected demolitions.
He further accused the Lagos State Government of ignoring court judgments halting the demolition exercise.
“The experience wasn’t a pleasant one at all. Very traumatic and horrible experience. A situation where you have government discussing regeneration, upgrading and development with members of the community suddenly turned out into demolition and unexpected demolition.
“The trend has continued from but the issue is this, before the government can carry out demolition, there must be what we call a contravention notice. After the contravention notice, you should come with a quit notice. After the quit notice, then you must come with a demolition order from the court.
“But in this case, the process was not being followed. Most of these communities are having court judgments from court of competent jurisdiction in Lagos State High Court. So it’s so unfortunate. It’s not a pleasant experience at all.
“And looking at people dying. A lot of people have died. Some died instantly. Some died along the process as a result of the inhuman and illegal demolition and forceful eviction from the communities like we are seeing in the case of Makoko.
“There was a lady who died under the intense smoke of tear gas, and about six people are still lying down in the mortuary now as a result of illegal and forceful eviction.”