THE credibility of the avowed commitments of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, towards the wellbeing of the entire populace of the state, was yesterday publicly questioned over his alleged authorization of the brutal invasion and forceful eviction of over 30,000 residents of two waterfront communities – Otodo Gbame and Ebute Ikate – in the Lekki Phase One area of the state.
According to eyewitness accounts, the assault, allegedly unleashed by some dare devil thugs, suspected to be land-grabbers with allegiance to the Elegushi family, took place on the midnight of November 9, 2016 through to November 10, 2016, without any prior notice, leading to huge number of causalities.
Survivors also accuse the police of colluding with the attackers to ensure their eviction from their homes.
However, five days after the attacks, the residents, in their hundreds, trooped out on a peaceful protest to the state house at Alausa, in a bid to express their anger over the governor’s inability to intervene or provide relief materials and temporary settlements for the displaced.
The protest was organised by Nigerian Slum /Informal Settlement Federation, in collaboration with the Shack/Slum Dweller International (SDI) and Justice Empowerment Initiatives–Nigeria (JEI).
Speaking with CITYVOICE at the scene of the protest, residents recounted the nightmares and their personal loses.
According to them, the attack was brutal; and well-orchestrated. The attackers waited patiently until the residents, who are predominantly commercial fisherfolks, farmers, artisans and petty traders, retired at night to catch a supposedly good sleep, after a long day.
Then the invaders, now at strategic positions, struck, pouncing on the sleeping, harmless children, women and their bread winners, with weaponry.
Simultaneously, as they were rudely awakened from their slumber, without an opportunity to digest the cause of the nightmare, their homes were being set ablaze.
Survivors said they had to scamper to safety through the thick, dark and smelly ocean at the middle of the night.
Though there was no official figure about the actual number of casualties, CITY VOICE interactions with some of the protesters indicates that more than 30 deaths may have been recorded, with over 100 still missing.
One of the affected members, who identified himself as simply Mr. Timothy, said since the attack, “my wife and four children have been missing. I can’t sleep. I have been looking for them, to no avail. Somebody should help me o.”
His children are Williams Timothy, a 15-year-old boy; Moses Timothy, a 13-year-old boy; Yemisi Timothy, a three-year-old girl and Victor Timothy, a six-month-old baby, missing along with his wife, Mrs. Modoyin Timothy.
Reni Torsihun, a 25-year-old student, who sustained a deep stab on his back and face, said he was able to escape because of his swimming ability.
“When the war started, everybody was caught in their sleep. Suddenly, the police started shooting us, setting our houses ablaze. I had to hurriedly rescue two of my cousins to escape via the water. My father and mother managed to escape because they can swim.
“At the last point, when I was trying to prevent the police from setting our house on fire, they started stabbing me on my back and face (he shows his deep wound). I had to escape by diving into the water.”
However, hours of waiting at the State House to see the governor was in vain as no official showed up to receive the grieving protesters.
State Security Service Officials were deployed to ensure that the protesters were not allowed to gain entry into the governor’s office.
Efforts to confirm the allegation from the state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, also proved abortive, as he didn’t pick nor return our call.
He neither replied the text message forwarded to the same phone. The message reads thus:
“Sir, I am calling in respect of an alleged authorization issued by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to the police, through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to brutally invade/evict the people of Otodo Gbame and Ebute Ikate Communities in Lekki Phase One, even against a subsisting Court Order.”
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Abiodun Anifowose was also called by our correspondent, but he never picked nor responded to the text message sent to him.
The Co-Founder of Justice Empowerment Initiatives-Nigeria (JEI), Mogan Chapman, said the invasion and brutal eviction of the residents, even against a court restrain, was another blatant violation of the fundamental human rights of the poor settlers.
She threatened to drag the state government before the United Nations until justice is served.