Residents of Jakande Housing Estate in Lagos have vowed to resist the Lagos State Government’s plans to demolish their homes, alleging that the government’s actions amount to contempt of court. The affected homeowners, many of whom have lived in the estate for over 40 years, insist that their properties are structurally sound and legally owned.
The controversy erupted after officials from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) marked homes within Phases I-IV of the estate, also known as Dolphin Estate, as “distressed.” Residents argue that this designation is unjustified and serves as a tactic to displace them.
Residents Reject Forced Eviction
One of the homeowners, Mr. Kola Bello, stated that the government has repeatedly attempted to take over their properties under different pretexts.
“We moved into this area over 40 years ago—since 1983—and we have been living here peacefully. But from time to time, we receive harassment from the government as if they are interested in taking over our property,” Bello said.
He explained that residents were recently given forms to fill without any official designation from a specific government agency. “At the meeting, we questioned where the form came from. It just said ‘Lagos State Government’ without any reference to the Attorney General’s Office, Ministry of Lands, or any other relevant agency. Despite this, we filled the forms, only for officials to come and mark our buildings as ‘distressed.’ These are solid buildings,” he said.
Legal Battle and Government’s Alleged Contempt
The residents had previously taken the government to court, insisting that if any redevelopment were to occur, they must be provided alternative accommodation during the rebuilding process and be reinstated once construction is completed.
“We were told the governor wants to develop the estate to make it a better place, and we welcomed that. But we took them to court, and our stand is clear: they must provide us a place to stay while rebuilding and return us to our homes when it’s completed,” Bello added.
He accused the government of disregarding the legal process by proceeding with the demolition plan. “We have not withdrawn the case, yet they are already making moves. This is prejudicial because the case is still in court. What happens if we withdraw the case completely?”
Suspicious Motives Behind the “Distressed” Label
When asked why the houses were suddenly labeled as “distressed,” Bello claimed that LASBCA officials failed to provide any structural justification. Instead, they allegedly admitted that the marking was meant to deter certain property owners from selling their homes.
“No reason was given, but when our representatives called them, they said it was to stop some owners from selling their houses. That is completely wrong. Why should the government interfere in people’s personal property transactions?” he asked.
Another resident, Erotola Joseph, who has also lived in the estate since 1983, described the government’s actions as suspicious, especially considering that many of the buildings had been recently repainted and maintained.
“It is embarrassing. The last time we had discussions with the government, they assured us that we would be provided with alternative housing before any demolition. Now, without warning, they have marked our buildings as distressed. The governor must intervene,” Joseph said.
Residents Reject Relocation to Ikorodu
A long-time resident, Ashabi, who inherited her home from her father, expressed concern that the government had not communicated a clear relocation plan. She emphasized that they would not accept being relocated far from their current homes.
“They came yesterday and said they want to demolish Phases I-IV. What is our offence? Before they demolish anything, they must tell us where we will stay. But they cannot take us to Ikorodu. We don’t know anybody there. We reject that outright,” she said.
She added that Jakande built the estate for them when he was governor, and they would not allow another administration to destroy their homes without a fair arrangement.
“He (Jakande) spent four years building this place for us, and now another governor wants to demolish it? The buildings are strong. The government must not demolish our homes unless they provide suitable alternatives,” she insisted.
