Residents of Oworonshoki, Lagos, on Monday staged a protest on the Third Mainland Bridge following the demolition of buildings in their community by government enforcement teams over the weekend.
The demonstration, which saw men, women, and youths blocking part of the busy bridge, caused heavy gridlock and left many motorists stranded. Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Stop demolishing our houses” and “Give us back our lands and homes.”
A former councillorship candidate of the African Action Congress, Opeyemi Ogunlami, who joined the protest, said victims received no compensation. “If they don’t stop the demolition, this bridge will be our home,” he declared.
Security operatives from the Lagos State Police Command were deployed to disperse the protesters. Some residents alleged that police officers used tear gas and beatings to force them out of the road, a claim police authorities confirmed, describing it as “minimal force” to restore order.
An activist, Juwon Sanyaolu, said, “I was beaten and teargassed. We only tried to stop the demolition and remove the caterpillars from our community.”
The demolition, led by the Lagos State Building Control Agency around 2 a.m. on Saturday, targeted unapproved structures along the Lekki and Iyana Oworonshoki coastal lines. Residents of Ojulari and Oworonshoki said they were thrown into confusion when bulldozers stormed the area, leaving several families homeless.
While the state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, could not be reached for comment, a Lagos State Task Force official insisted only illegal shanties were demolished. According to the official, the structures had long been marked for removal as they allegedly served as hideouts for criminals.
Police spokesperson DSP Babaseyi Oluseyi said the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, personally engaged the protesters but they refused to vacate the bridge, worsening traffic and delaying sick persons in need of medical care. He said barricades were later cleared to restore free movement.
The Oworonshoki area has faced similar demolitions in the past. In 2023, the state government also pulled down structures there, saying the action was necessary to dislodge criminal elements.
Do you want me to make this rewrite strictly neutral news style (straight facts only) or give it a human-interest angle that highlights the plight of displaced residents?
