By Charles Pemu 
A profound human tragedy has overshadowed the Lagos State Government’s controversial demolition exercises in Oworonshoki, with devastating reports indicating that a 15-year-old girl died amidst the violent execution of the clearance operations.
While the state government has yet to officially comment on the fatality, community sources and local advocacy groups have consistently reported casualties and fatalities stemming from the acute distress, displacement, and exposure caused by the demolitions in the Oworonshoki waterfront area.
Accounts from displaced residents and human rights organizations confirm the severe humanitarian cost of the ongoing clearance. Beyond the reported death of the 15-year-old girl, previous resident testimonies alleged that a newborn baby also died due to exposure and chaos immediately following the demolition of the family’s home.
Eyewitnesses have consistently reported that the operations, often executed under the cover of darkness and without adequate notification, involved a heavy security presence, the deployment of tear gas, and the alleged use of “hired thugs.” Advocacy groups, including the Take It Back Movement, have condemned the actions, citing unlawful conduct that includes arson and the arrest of two women hours later on charges of using abusive language during the traumatic events.
Thousands Displaced Despite Legal Challenges
The recurring demolitions, which have systematically targeted residential structures, businesses, and places of worship, have rendered thousands of residents homeless and deprived them of their livelihoods. Many displaced families, including vulnerable individuals such as widows and the elderly, have been forced to sleep outdoors or in temporary, makeshift shelters.
The Lagos State Government, through its relevant agencies, has publicly defended the demolitions as an essential component of a long-term urban regeneration plan. Officials maintain that due process was followed and that the structures targeted were erected illegally without approved permits on land acquired by the government. The government recently announced that compensation payments have begun for verified property owners.
However, residents and legal practitioners, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria, have accused the state government of flagrantly violating subsisting court orders that had restrained further demolitions, a claim the state’s Attorney General has actively refuted.