A Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo Wednesday ruled that the Lagos state government demolitions of the houses of the fishing communities in the state are unconstitutional and violated the rights the residents.
It will be recalled that the residents went to court in October last year to protest the Lagos state government’s plan to demolish their waterfront communities on the pretext of cutting crime in the megacity.
The government however went ahead with the demolitions in a series of raids across the city that saw security agents bulldoze homes to the ground and in April shoot people with live ammunition.
Ruling on the matter, the Judge ordered the state government to hold consultations with the communities before any further evictions and provide compensation for the destruction of their property.
Speaking on the development, the residents’ lawyer, Omotayo Enujiugha told newsmen,” We are mostly relieved, finally we have a decision. We really appreciate the fact that at the end of the day the judge ruled that rights were violated”.
Also speaking, a non-profit group, Justice and Empowerment Initiatives which provided legal support to the resident and which spoke through its Co-director, Megan Chapman said: “It (the court) found that any demolition or eviction without adequate notice and provision of adequate shelter or resettlement to another location is unconstitutional.
“They ordered that the government must enter into consultation with the residents if they intend on carrying out any further evictions. “The court gave a clear court order that no further evictions are allowed until that consultation process continues”.
While the residents acknowledged the Lagos government may still try to go ahead with demolitions in the future, they said they were relieved the court had ruled in their favour.
“I’m very grateful. The fear of our people was that the whole community would be torn down,” said Oladipupo Aireomiye, a 38-year-old living in Ebute Ilaje, a community that was handed its eviction notice earlier this year.
“The judgment gives us hope. At least for now we can sleep with our eyes closed”, Oladipupo said.
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