Hundreds of residents and property owners in the Ojo area of Lagos State took to the streets on Thursday to protest an alleged plan to demolish more than 300 houses for a proposed rail project.
The protesters marched through the community carrying placards and calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene. Many warned that the planned demolition could leave thousands of people homeless and disrupt essential services within the area.
According to the demonstrators, the affected structures include residential buildings, places of worship, healthcare centres and business premises. They described the proposed action as unfair and lacking due process, accusing officials of intimidation and harassment. Community representatives also alleged that authorities had ignored an existing court order said to have temporarily halted the demolition. They insisted that any attempt to proceed with the exercise would be unlawful.
Speaking on behalf of the residents, the community coordinator, Iniobong Offiong, said the area comprises four estates with about 315 houses and an estimated population of 20,000 people. He noted that the neighbourhood had been developed over several decades.
Offiong claimed that government officials, accompanied by security personnel, initially entered the community in May 2025 under the pretext of conducting a census. He said residents were later informed that the area had been marked for demolition.
Authorities reportedly justified the move by citing public interest, stating that the land is required for a train depot linked to the Lagos rail project. However, Offiong questioned the necessity of the plan, pointing out that a previously acquired site for the same purpose remains unused. He further disclosed that residents had submitted petitions to the state government, the police and the Lagos State House of Assembly but had yet to receive a formal response. This, he said, prompted the community to seek legal redress. According to Offiong, the residents obtained an interim injunction from a Federal High Court restraining the demolition. He alleged, however, that the order has not been respected by the authorities.
