By Ishaya Ibrahim
Lagos State government bulldozers were busy pulling down houses of helpless Nigerians on April 22, at a time the world is urging all persons to stay at home to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
This shocking action of the state government has provoked wide range condemnation.
Three civil society organisations have jointly signed a statement, describing the action of the Lagos State government as grossly insensitive.
Among the signatories are; Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri of Spaces for Change, Betty Abah of Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE) and Ngozi Iwere of Community Life Project (CLP).
The statement reads in part: “Nothing beats the insensitivity of conducting demolitions at the peak of the federal government-mandated lockdown in Lagos State which has been in force since March 30, 2020.
“At a time COVID-19 is ravaging the world and Lagos residents are substantially complying with public health advisories by staying at home, the Lagos State launched demolition attacks targeted at the homes of the predominantly urban poor households, vulnerable communities and small-scale businesses without providing alternative safe spaces for the displaced.
“Compliance with stay-at-home orders is impossible for the 300 citizens displaced yesterday (April 22) and forced into homelessness as a result of state-ordered forced evictions. Stay-at-home is only possible where people have a roof over their heads! The ill-planned displacement exercises potentially increases the risk of residents contracting and spreading COVID-19.
“Conducting displacement exercises during a highly contagious pandemic without more, smacks of executive insensitivity and impunity. Such action, coming at a time when the economy faces recession, due to the crippling of social and economic activities all over the world, will not only add to the economic burden here in Lagos state, but also increase unemployment and make residents even more vulnerable to environmental and health hazards.
“Reports further reveal that displacement exercises have been conducted in Ifako-Ijaiye, Orile and Aguda areas leaving several residents with no homes to stay safe and self-isolate. Asides these, several incidents of fire disasters have taken place in the State e.g. Dustbin Estate; Shops 35 and 36 Maola Shopping Mall, Ebute Ero Market, Idumota, Lagos State; 16B Barrister Ahmed Street, Awodiora, Lagos where 32 other apartments razed and 93 persons were rendered homeless; the car park, Lagos Airport Hotel, 20 vehicles, among others.
“The increasing homelessness in Lagos is exacerbated by the huge housing deficit in the state, which has seen two out of three residents seeking shelter in the slums. The 300 more persons rendered homeless in Ogba yesterday, including pregnant women, youth and newborn children,
adds to the growing list of poor persons, pushed further into poverty in the state. The forced displacement resulting from the demolitions would gravely increase the risk of community spread of COVID-19 and make nonsense of the Lagos State Government’s efforts to contain the virus expeditiously so as to begin the process of opening up the economy, ” the statement said.
The groups advised the Lagos government to immediately resettle the affected persons.
