Panic and outrage gripped the Oworonshoki community of Lagos on Sunday after more than 70 houses were reduced to rubble in a shocking midnight demolition — carried out just days after a Lagos High Court had ordered the state government to halt any further destruction in the area.
Residents of Ajileru, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Streets awoke to the roar of bulldozers around 1 a.m., as demolition teams allegedly escorted by security operatives tore through their homes, ignoring a subsisting injunction from Justice A.G. Balogun of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
The court, in a ruling delivered on October 23, 2025, had granted an interim injunction in Suit No. ID/9910GCM/2025 restraining the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) — along with their agents or contractors — from demolishing or tampering with properties belonging to members of the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Association (CDA).
The disputed properties, covering about 30 hectares, were also protected against any third-party encumbrance until compliance with the Lagos High Court’s Pre-Action Protocol for Land Matters. The case was adjourned to December 9 for a report of compliance.
But despite the standing order, the demolition team moved in under the cover of darkness, leveling homes and leaving hundreds of families stranded.
“Our houses were brought down in the middle of the night — no warning, no notice. We thought the court order would protect us,” cried a landlord, Mr. Adewale, as he sifted through the wreckage of his home.
A heavily pregnant woman, identified simply as Adenike, recounted her ordeal in tears.
“Around 1 a.m., I heard loud noises. I grabbed my children and ran barefoot. We have nowhere to go — everything we own is gone,” she said.
Community leaders described the incident as “a direct assault on the rule of law” and accused the state authorities of betraying public trust. They also confirmed that no enumeration or compensation was conducted prior to the renewed demolition.
Legal representatives for the residents maintained that Justice Balogun’s injunction remains in force, warning that the demolition amounts to contempt of court.
“This is a clear violation of a valid court order. Those responsible will face contempt proceedings,” one of the community’s lawyers said.
By Sunday afternoon, the once-thriving neighborhood had turned into a wasteland — broken walls, shattered roofs, and piles of personal belongings scattered across the debris. Displaced families were seen sleeping in the open, pleading for humanitarian aid and government intervention.
The residents have called on President Bola Tinubu, the Lagos State Government, and human rights organizations to intervene urgently to prevent further hardship and ensure respect for the judiciary’s authority.