In Lagos, Nigeria, a neighborhood demolished and residents left homeless despite a court ruling

"I only had 30 minutes to gather as many belongings as possible before they destroyed them along with my house. They took us by surprise and I don't even know where to go now," Victoria Ajah, a 50-year-old mother, told AFP in tears, standing in front of the ruins of her home in this neighborhood of about 10.000 people.

During the morning, residents rushed into their homes to collect mattresses, clothes and kitchen utensils before leaving.

In this tense atmosphere, unidentified men appearing to be security agents ordered journalists present at the scene to leave, before openly threatening them, three AFP journalists observed.

In recent months, Nigerian authorities have undertaken several eviction and demolition operations in several precarious neighborhoods in Lagos.

"A powerful family with ties to Lagos State wants to take this land (referring to the Otumara neighborhood). I don't know for what purpose," Megan Chapman, co-director of the NGO Justice and Empowerment Initiatives, which helps Lagos communities defend their rights, told AFP.

Contacted by AFP, the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, which ordered the demolition, did not immediately respond.

Several neighborhoods threatened

The area where the Otumara neighborhood is located, located in the Mainland, the poorest part of Lagos, is coveted for real estate projects due to its proximity to the wealthier islands, as the city faces overpopulation and soaring property prices.

"This destruction is a violation of the law and the verdict of the Lagos High Court in 2017," Ms. Chapman said.

In 2016, residents of Otumara joined forces with about fifteen other surrounding communities to file a lawsuit against Lagos State after several threats of eviction.

In June 2017, the Lagos Court ordered the authorities to suspend their project, citing the lack of rehousing solutions for the affected populations in a court decision seen by AFP.

"The respondents are hereby (letter) suspended from any further attempt to forcibly evict the applicants," Justice Onigbanjo said in the document.

She called on Lagos State to hold consultations with stakeholders "on how best to relocate" residents before demolishing their neighborhood.

No rehousing solution

Despite this court ruling, Lagos State nevertheless chose to demolish Otumara and other working-class neighborhoods, without informing residents of the date of the demolitions.

"In 2021, they indicated they wanted to rehabilitate the neighborhood, but residents weren't included in the discussions. And in early February 2024, there were new rumors of destruction. Residents protested and sent letters to the governor, but to no avail," said Megan Chapman.

"People have nowhere to go. Most were born and raised here. Others came to Lagos years ago to live here. I don't know what will become of us," Victoria Ajah said.

In September 2024, several homes in the Oko Baba Sawmill communities in the Ebute Metta area and Aiyetoro, near Otumara, were also demolished.

Several other neighborhoods in the megalopolis of 20 million people are also threatened with destruction, including the floating slum of Makoko, with nearly 300.000 inhabitants, neighboring Otumara.

Housing remains a major challenge in Lagos, as the population continues to grow by 3.000 people a day, and authorities struggle to meet the growing demand for housing.