Amnesty International has called on the Lagos State Government to immediately withdraw its plan to carry out forced evictions in Afinju Omo, Coker Community, Lone-Power Base Community, and Odun’fa-Oke-Eri in Oworoshoki, warning that the move would violate the right to adequate housing.
The organisation described the government’s justifications for the evictions as “inconsistent” and criticised the vision of a “mega city” that excludes people living in poverty, calling it unlawful. According to Amnesty, the planned demolitions could affect over 100,000 people, depriving families of livelihoods, possessions, and, in extreme cases, their lives.
Amnesty accused the state of repeatedly carrying out evictions without genuine consultation, adequate prior notice, compensation, or alternative housing — actions it said contravene Nigeria’s international legal obligations. Many displaced residents, it noted, are left homeless and stripped of their means of survival.
Between November 2016 and April 2017, Lagos authorities forcibly evicted more than 30,000 people from the Otodo-Gbame community, in some cases using violent methods. Amnesty is now urging the government to impose a moratorium on mass evictions until regulations are in place to ensure that any removals comply with international standards.
