Residents Storm Assembly Over Illegal Eviction

A group, Justice & Empowerment Initiative (JEI), on Tuesday September 1 led aggrieved residents of Lagos state in a protest to the state’s House of Assembly over alleged illegal eviction of residents from the school of nursing building, Awolowo road, Ikoyi.

The group alleged that the place had been given to them by a lawmaker during the campaign after they complained they would not vote since they lacked accommodation.

READ ALSO: Boko Haram New Deadly Attack: Nigeria Warns US

According to a statement signed by the coordinator of the group, Mrs. Megan Chapman, and made available to journalists, the group said after the election, they were forced out of the building by officials of the state government giving them the impression that they were deceived into voting during the election.

It reads: “We were contacted by our sister organisation, the Centre for Defence of Human Rights and Democracy (CDHRDA) which was on site documenting the ongoing eviction by the Lagos state task force and that this was why the group took up the fight.”

“This is very callous and inhumane. This demolition and eviction were carried out despite heavy down pour.”

Chapman also revealed that the group had earlier written to the state Ministry of Justice, the office entrusted with upholding and enforcing the law of the state, saying that such eviction is highly illegal and unlawful.

Lagos steps-up demolition of illegal structures

She reiterated that a Lagos high court had affirmed that the environmental sanitation law of 2001 did not authorize either demolition of homes or eviction of residents.

“We are saddened that the state has once again taken the law into its own hands and there has been no meaningful response to our urgent correspondents or to the plight of the wrongfully evicted residents who feel they have no option to pursue all available legal options to enforce their fundamental rights.

The displaced residents, who were chanting solidarity songs, urged members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to come to their aid.

READ ALSO: Employment Opportunities: Governor Kick Starts Massive Youths Recruitment

One of them, Mr. Sunday Okoh said that it was unfair for the task force to displace them from the place after they voted for the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the governorship election.

“We came out enmasse to vote for the APC during the last general elections, so it is unfair for the Lagos State. Government to eject us from the premises,” he said.

The post Residents Storm Assembly Over Illegal Eviction appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.