11th January, 2014
EROMOSELE EBHOMELE
Residents of Mowo Phase II in the Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Badagry in Nigeria’s western state of Lagos state stormed the state House of Assembly on Friday over allegation of wrongful demolition of their houses and destruction of their properties by the Nigeria Police Force.
The protesters, who besieged the main gate of the House carrying placards with various inscriptions condemning the act and seeking justice, accused the commissioner of police in Lagos, Umar Manko of carrying out the attack on them.
Speaking before the House chairman, Committee on Information and Security, Olusegun Olulade, the chairman of the Community Development Association of the affected area, Mr. Adu Charles, said on 16 December, 2013 at about 5.30 pm, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Mowo community led about 250 policemen fully armed to the area.
He said the police came with four Black Maria vehicles , 18 hilux pick-up vans and 15 bulldozers with which they began the demolition of the buildings.
He further said five youths were arrested while the demolition exercise was on.
The protesters alleged that about 1,500 houses were demolished by the police, the state Task Force and the state Ministry of Physical and Urban Development.
The protesters said what finally led to the demolition of their buildings began in 2008 when a developer came to one of the affected communities in the area alleging that the Lagos State Government had sold the land to one Mrs. Obembe, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, at a cost of N176 million.
Olulade, who addressed them, pleaded with the protesters not to take laws into their hands.
He promised that the House would look into the matter.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly will look into the matter and we are going to invite the Commissioner of Police, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development and others indicted to appear before the House for further investigation,” he said.
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