Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, January 15.26
YABA, Lagos – More revelations have emerged about how officials of the Lagos State Government killed a five day old boy, a 70 year old grandmother, a two year old boy and two others while demolishing shanties in attempt to forcefully evict residents of Makoko enclave in Ebute Metta.
Speaking on Nigeria Info, on Friday, Betty Abbah of the Centre for Children Health Education, Makoko, a non-governmental organization, (NGO) said officials of the state government threw teargas inside the house where the 5 day old baby was resting, leading asphyxiation adding that the lovely boy died before he could get to the hospital.
She said the 70 year old grandmother, the two year old boy and two others also died in the process the incident in attempt to forcefully evict residents without any prior notice.
She said many others were hospitalized and some arrested and detained among them was one Oluwatobi, who was born and brought up in the settlement.
She accused Lagos State of surprising residents and setting houses in the axis on fire in the night.
“Government should stop surprising people and setting houses on fire during the night”, she begged.
She urged Lagos State Government to follow urban renewal laws that makes provision for descent eviction of residents and resettlement.
She also alluded to root cause of slums in Lagos which she said is as a result of failure by the state government to build affordable homes for residents. She said while the state government is eager during each election year to force the over 100,000 residents to vote for the All Progressive Congress, APC, it has left the settlement without any infrastructure.
She said everything, including school in the area are all products of private investment.
Abbah said the problem started twelve years ago during the era of Babatunde Fashola, who in attempt to forcefully take over the place sent task Force that shot one of the chiefs that resisted, Chief Asukanna in the stomach leading to his death and litigation during which demolition and relocation of residents was halted by a court pronouncement.
