Amnesty International has strongly condemned the violent forced eviction of over 10,000 residents of Ilaje-Otumara in Lagos State on Friday, 7 March 2025. The eviction, carried out without consultation, adequate notice, compensation, or alternative housing, has left thousands homeless and violated international human rights laws to which Nigeria is bound.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, stated that the eviction was conducted in defiance of a standing court order from 21 June 2017 and despite prior government promises to upgrade the community’s infrastructure. Sanusi criticized the Lagos State government’s repeated pattern of displacing vulnerable communities without regard for the devastating social and economic consequences.
“The forced eviction was carried out by armed security forces, supported by unidentified men known as ‘area boys’ wielding machetes, guns, and axes. Several residents were injured, and some families reported missing children,” Sanusi said.
Amnesty International has called on the Lagos State government to halt further mass evictions, investigate the use of violence during the eviction, and provide effective remedies for those affected. “Lagos must be an inclusive city. Development should not come at the expense of the lives and livelihoods of communities living in poverty,” Sanusi added.
