LAGOS— Property owners and tenants in the Ajiwe community of Ajah, Lagos State, have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to suspend the demolition of their homes and businesses for infrastructure projects until they are adequately compensated.
The affected residents staged a peaceful protest over the weekend along the Abraham Adesanya Expressway, carrying placards with messages such as “No to Demolition Without Compensation,” “Our Properties Deserve Due Process,” and “We Say No to Forced Evictions.”
The properties have reportedly been marked for demolition to pave the way for the Lagos State Gas Link pipeline and the Green Line Rail corridor—both integral components of the ongoing Lagos Airport development project in the Ibeju-Lekki axis.
Spokesperson for the protesters, Mr. Kehinde Alakoso, acknowledged the importance of the state’s infrastructural development but emphasized the human cost and legal rights of the affected residents.
“We understand these projects are for public interest, but there must be a human face to their implementation. Many residents have valid title documents. The law mandates compensation in such cases,” Alakoso said.
According to him, despite multiple letters to relevant state officials, including the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, and a stakeholders’ meeting held in April 2025—where assurances of compensation were given—no clear action has been taken.
“Since the commencement of pipeline laying in November 2024, many business premises have been obstructed, causing significant losses. People now live in fear, unsure of when their homes or shops will be taken,” he added.
Echoing similar concerns, the General Secretary of the Odugbese Ajereongbe Chieftaincy Family, Mr. Ahmed Ajanaku, said the state government had failed to fulfill promises made during a stakeholders’ meeting held at Swiss Hotel in Victoria Garden City (VGC).
Also speaking, a long-term tenant and representative of occupants at Top Notch Plaza, Prince Olanshile Mogaji, appealed to the state government to honor due process.
“We are not out to fight the government. All we ask is that the state respects our rights and compensates us accordingly. We have our Certificates of Occupancy and all relevant approvals,” Mogaji said.
The protesters urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to intervene urgently, calling for justice, transparency, and dialogue before any further demolition exercise is carried out.
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