Amnesty International Nigeria has raised alarm over pain and suffering visited upon for residents of Oke-Eri, Oluwaseyi, Cornerstone, Ogo-Oluwa and other communities of Oworonshoki in Lagos State by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led state government vis-a-vis forced evictions.
Amnesty International raised the alarm in a press release issued late Tuesday, lamenting how the government is destroying people’s houses and rendering families homeless.
In the statement, Amnesty International condemned the violent forced evictions carried out by the state authorities at Oworonshoki communities, with more than 30,000 residents forcibly and violently evicted from the Otodo-Gbame community.
Amnesty regretted that the forced evictions were executed without consultation and adequate notice to the residents and that so far more than 7,000 buildings have either been burned or demolished.
Amnesty International asked the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led state government to “halt these attacks on poor communities” and immediately provide all victims with emergency relief and alternative housing.
The statement released late Tuesday reads:
“Amnesty International condemns the violent forced evictions carried out by Lagos state authorities at Oworonshoki communities, rendering many families homeless and destroying their means of livelihood, in utter disregard of the state’s obligations under international law.
“The forced evictions without consultation and adequate notice to the residents has so far left more than 7,000 buildings either burned or demolished.
“The Lagos authorities must halt these attacks on poor communities that are punished for the state’s urban planning failures.
“Emergency relief and alternative housing must be immediately provided to all victims and effective redress (including adequate compensation) for residents of Oke-Eri, Oluwaseyi, Cornerstone, Ogo-Oluwa and other communities of Oworonshoki.
“Between November 2016 and April 2017, Lagos state authorities forcibly and violently evicted more than 30,000 residents from the Otodo-Gbame community on the outskirts of Lagos city.
