Rebecca Omolayo a Deomlition Evictee has decried the recent demolition of her home in Lagos State, claiming the action violated her rights and left her community in distress.
Speaking In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday, Omolayo, a widow and resident of the Precious Seed Community, detailed the events leading up to the demolition and the ongoing struggle for justice and compensation.
“It was on Wednesday night that they came to our area. Some policemen just entered. They told us we should pack our load. That they are coming tomorrow morning. I said, if they want to demolish our house, they’re supposed to have told us before what they gave us, before they came and marked our house. But there’s nothing like that. No information at all,” Omolayo said.
She added that the community, home to around 3,000 people, has endured repeated evictions and demolitions over the years. “I was even thinking they were joking. But probably when they came inside, I sat on the balcony of my house. They should demolish the house. Because that day they came, make it four months that I lost my husband. I was still in my black.”
Omolayo also highlighted her role in supporting children in her church, stressing the broader impact of the eviction. “I have two other children there that we are training for free. Yes, it’s our church. We brought them together. They are only paying the teachers. They are helping our church to take care of those children. We brought out those children to show them, to see these children, and make them realise they will not go to school again. Nobody will help them. And they can become anything in the country that they should please.”
She lamented the lack of prior engagement or compensation from the government. “Where will I go to? Where did you buy the land? On the house. Yes. We bought the land about 35 years ago. From rain to rain. Sons and daughters. And we have the papers. And we are being reduced to injustice every year.”
Omolayo cited a previous landmark ECOWAS Community Court of Justice judgment ordering compensation and resettlement for 17 evicted communities across Lagos and River State. “The judgement says resettlement. It actually says it’s for anyone who’s affected, title documents or no title documents. Not so long as you’ve been staying in that place for some time and the government is aware that you’re there, they must resettle you from that place before they come and take over the place and carry out any demolition. That was not done.”
She described the violent circumstances of the demolition. “I was showing each of these police officers on ground from task force. I said, where are you from? They say, Lagosia government. I showed them the judgement. We’re now explaining everything. There’s a crowd who’s watching because the community is so afraid. Everyone is there at the entrance to the community, peacefully appealing to them. They start bringing the excavator towards us. They actually started pouring gas into my face. I had to come down, go find water to pour from my shoes because it was seriously all over my shoes. And it’s not only me. It’s all the people that were there that were affected. So they could then move the excavator in and they started demolishing.”
Megan Chapman, co-founder/ co-Exclusive Director, Justice and Empowerment Initiative, placed the evictions in the broader context of human rights and due process. She highlighted that the affected residents have repeatedly sought legal remedies for years.
“These residents have approached multiple avenues for justice from state high courts to the National Human Rights Commission, and ultimately to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice,” Chapman said. “The court issued a landmark ruling recognising violations of their rights and ordering compensation and resettlement. Yet, the federal and state authorities have failed to implement this decision, leaving thousands displaced and vulnerable.”
Chapman emphasised the systemic failures that exacerbate the plight of evictees. “We are talking about people who have lived in these communities for decades, paying land use charges, contributing to society. The law is clear they must be resettled before any demolition occurs. But in practice, the authorities bypass these requirements, creating a cycle of injustice.”
She described her visit to Precious Seed Community during the recent demolition, noting the human cost of the government’s actions. “I was there yesterday. I also saw all the people, spoken to a man who had a stroke, who’s sleeping in a broken-down KK. He can’t even walk. The population affected is almost 3,000 people. Everyone is traumatised. This is not just about houses being destroyed it’s about families, livelihoods, and dignity being stripped away.”
Omolayo also recounted the violent nature of the eviction. “I was showing each of these police officers on ground from task force. I said, where are you from? They say, Lagosia government. I showed them the judgement. We’re now explaining everything. There’s a crowd who’s watching because the community is so afraid. Everyone is there at the entrance to the community, peacefully appealing to them. They start bringing the excavator towards us. They actually started pouring gas into my face. I had to come down, go find water to pour from my shoes because it was seriously all over my shoes. And it’s not only me. It’s all the people that were there that were affected. So they could then move the excavator in and they started demolishing.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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