Panic has returned to Oworonshoki, Lagos State, as bulldozers accompanied by heavily armed Lagos State Task Force officers stormed the Precious Seed Community early Saturday morning to resume demolitions — despite earlier assurances from both the Commissioner of Police and the Oba of Oworonshoki that no further demolitions would occur.
Residents, still recovering from a previous wave of demolitions that destroyed over 1,000 homes and displaced thousands, woke up to the sound of machinery tearing through their community once again. Many expressed anger and disbelief, calling the renewed operation “a betrayal” after government and traditional leaders had publicly promised peace.
“They said it would stop — even the Oba and the Commissioner of Police gave their word. But now, bulldozers are back,” one distraught resident said while sharing a video of the ongoing destruction.
Another resident, speaking under anonymity, described the situation as “a nightmare that never ends.” “We’re not criminals. We are families who have lived here for decades,” she said, fighting tears.
Activist groups like the Take-It-Back Movement and the Oworonshoki Demolition Victims’ Coalition have condemned the government’s actions, calling it a “gross violation of human rights” and demanding immediate compensation and resettlement for displaced families.
The Oba of Oworonshoki, Babatunde Saliu, had earlier defended the demolitions, claiming the state government legally acquired the land from his family. But residents insist they have lived in the community peacefully for over 60 years, and that the land dispute narrative is being used to justify forceful evictions.
As tensions rise, community leaders are urging the Lagos State Government to halt further demolitions and open a transparent dialogue with the people — before frustration and despair turn into something worse
