MOTION Condemns Demolition of Homes in Oworonsoki

…Says Action, Genocide Against the Poor

By: Michael Mike

The Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOT!ON) has condemned in the strongest possible terms the alleged ongoing state-sponsored brutality and unlawful demolition of homes in Oworonsoki, Lagos.

The organisation, in a statement on Monday signed by Hauwa Mustapha and Chris Isiguzo, Convener and Co-Convener respectively, said reports confirmed that in the early hours of Sunday, armed policemen and hired thugs invaded the community, teargassed residents, and destroyed homes in defiance of a subsisting court injunction, adding that this brazen contempt for the rule of law, and disregard for human life and dignity, marks yet another dark chapter in the Lagos State Government’s deliberate war against the poor.

The statement read: “This is more disheartening against the fact that the world bank in October 2025 declared Nigeria to be home to 139 million people living in extreme poverty in its report.

One would have thought that the Nigerian government are collectively working hard to lift people out of poverty, unfortunately, the Lagos state government has allowed private interest to override public interest in complete defiance to an existing court order.”

It reminded that: “Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nation Convention on Human Rights. According to United Nation’s definition, forced evictions is the permanent or temporary removal against their will of individuals, families and/or communities from the homes and/or land which they occupy, without the provision of, and access to, appropriate forms of legal or other protection.

“And article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states that the States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent.

“At the time of this press statement, over 7,000 housing units have already been lost in the Oworonsoki community- a home to the middle class and poorest office poor in Lagos state, with families, pregnant women, children, and the elderly rendered homeless overnight. This is the height of abuse of human rights, cruel treatment of the poor and brazen disregard for the rule of law.

“We want to state clearly that it is irresponsible for the Lagos State government to discard these structures as “illegal structures.” These are people’s lives, built over decades of labour, community, and love. To tear them down without dialogue, compensation, or relocation is not urban development. The Lagos State government is carrying out a social cleansing and a genocide against poor people.

“The government’s actions violate not only the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which makes the welfare of the citizens, including their housing welfare, the responsibility of the government, but also violate the basic principles of humanity and justice. When the state becomes the destroyer of homes rather than their protector, it ceases to be legitimate in the eyes of the people, and utterly useless.

We, therefore, demand an immediate cessation of all demolition activities involving the houses of the Nigerian people in Oworonshoki and across Lagos State, and across Nigeria, immediately. We demand full compliance with the court injunction issued by Justice A.G. Balogun, and an independent investigation into the involvement of armed police and hired thugs in the attack on residents.

“We demand a commensurate compensation and emergency housing for all displaced families, and a public apology and accountability from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State Task Force leadership.

“MOT!ON stands with the displaced residents of Oworonshokiand every Nigerian community facing the tyranny of forced evictions and state violence. The struggle for transformation begins in the defense of ordinary lives against the machinery of greed and impunity.

“If the government insists on destroying homes under the cover of “development,” the people must insist on building a country where justice, not bulldozers, shapes our cities. We demand that the government stop the demolitions now. Stop the violence now. Return the people’s homes now!”

MOTiON is a collective force of Nigerians from mass democratic organisations, workers’ organisations, pro-democracy movements, movements for social justice, women groups, citizens groups, NGOs, academia, students and youth groups, and climate action groups. We are a movement of movements channeling shared anger, frustration and aspirations of Nigerians into purposeful action. Through concerted, strategic effort, we are engaging in citizens’ actions to address and overcome the root causes of Nigeria’s current state: elite capture, ineffective leadership, institutional corruption, insecurity, and the pervasive culture of impunity.

MOTION Condemns Demolition of Homes in Oworonsoki