12,000 Displaced, and 13 Dead as Lagos govt Demolishes Oworonshoki Favela for Planned Luxury Builds.
A tense protest unfolded on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos’s vital artery connecting the Island and Mainland, after the state government launched an aggressive demolition campaign in Oworonshoki. Early on a Monday morning, residents, furious at the loss of their homes, blocked inward-bound lanes in defiance. The action left commuters stranded, forced diversions across the city, and plunged a significant stretch of Lagos traffic into chaos. The protest was a visible manifestation of community outrage and desperation. At the heart of the unrest lies the demolition of structures along Oworonshoki’s coastal line. Government task forces, supported by police units, arrived with bulldozers in the middle of the night, levelling hundreds of homes. Many residents recounted being woken abruptly as their roofs were torn down, unable to salvage personal belongings or business materials. What began in July 2023 with widespread clearance of waterfront communities has now escalated, displacing thou...