'Residents making impossible demands,' Lagos govt tells court

dimeji akinloye

April 13, 2017 5:58 AM

Lawyers representing the community in court insists that armed men, who shoot anyone that comes into the community, are still stationed in the area.

Burnt and demolished houses at Otodo Gbame

Contrary to the information available to the public, the Lagos State government has said its officials did not carry out further demolition of homes in

The Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration told the court on Wednesday, April 12, that it only went back to the community to pack debris.

But the lawyers representing the community in court insists that armed men, who shoot anyone that comes into the community, are still stationed in the area.

On Friday, March 17, 2017, residents of Otodogbame woke up to the sounds of helicopters, gunboats and police trucks on a mission to demolish the community - the area was levelled afterwards.

Offering insight into the cause of the stalemate in the court-ordered mediation between its officials and inhabitants of Otodogbame, the government said it did not pull out of the mediation, but that the residents were making impossible demands.

"We appeared before the mediation, but they are asking the government to build houses for them, over 300 people," S. Quadri, counsel to the government told Justice S.A Onigbangbo.

"The government never made any offer to the people that were displaced, how do we relocate them, they should not just come anywhere they see and settle. If they want to settle in Lagos, they should come with their money and buy land to settle."

Earlier on Wednesday, the court had struck out contempt proceedings instituted by the Otodogbame community against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The court said it lacked jurisdiction to try Abode because of the immunity he enjoys.

ALSO READ: Lagos govt allegedly evict residents forcefully, set houses on fire

However, the court faulted the alleged action of the governor.

"If the governor had truly ordered the forceful eviction and demolition of the second applicant, he undermined the principles of the rule of law and the same process which put him in office in the first place," the judge said.

Reacting to the judge’s decision, Megan Chapman, co-director of Justice Empowerment Initiatives, a community-based legal and empowerment organisation which represents the residents of Otodogbame, said immunity is Ambode's escape route.

"It was reported to us as at yesterday that government brought two gun boats in the community. So, the reality may be that they aren’t safe to go back there and enjoy their rights in the community," Chapman said.

She said it is clear that Ambode would escape punishment because of the immunity he enjoys.

She said: "The judge has made his position clear on this case that he finds the action of the governor reprehensible and in flagrant disregard to the rule of law which is detrimental to democracy in Nigeria.

"It is beyond his powers to commit the governor to prison but if he could, he would have and that’s a strong pronouncement; and I hope it reaches the ears of the governor so he understands that what he is doing is undermining the rule of law, undermining the principles of democracy and it’s damaging the society at large."

The Court had on January 26 ordered the parties involved in the demolition of the Lagos waterfront communities to attempt mediation through the Lagos State Multi-Door Courthouse and report back to the court.

dimeji akinloye