Lagos demolition protest turns chaotic as police fired teargas

Operatives of the Lagos state police command on Wednesday fired teargas at residents protesting at the Lagos State House of Assembly entrance over ongoing building demolitions in several areas.

The protesters who gathered at the assembly entrance came from  Makoko, Owode Onirin, Oworonshoki, Otumara and Baba-Ijora, where demolitions had occurred.

The affected residents accused the state government of carrying out the demolition exercises without adequate consultation, compensation or resettlement plans.

Journalists, who covering the protest, were also affected by the teargas, while some demonstrators were arrested by the police officers.

The protesters carried placards and banners with the inscriptions like ‘Justice for Ago Egun’, ‘Governor Sanwo-Olu, Save Ajegunle People from Oba Ojora’, ‘Justice for Owode Onirin Traders’, and ‘Halt the Demolitions, It is illegal’.

When the protesters arrived at the entrance of  Lagos assembly, police officers had barricaded the gate with their vehicles to prevent the protesters from entering into the complex.

But the protesters insisted on gaining access to podium constructed for protests at the assembly complex.