It was reported that the state government began negotiation process but pulled out claiming they have filed an appeal to overturn the court order asking the state to relocate residents of the community
It was a day of jubilation for hundreds of Otodo Gbame present within the court premises when Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, ruled that forceful eviction is unconstitutional.
The judge had also ordered the Lagos state government to enter into consultations with the forcefully evicted residents to devise a resettlement plan adding that evictions without adequate notice and resettlement violate Section 34 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
After the ruling on the 21st day of June 2018, residents of Otodo Gbame left the court environment singing and rejoicing expecting the state government to begin consultation process. Little did they know that the state government would totally ignore the court ruling and further station more security personnel to cordon Otodo Gbame, preventing anyone from going in.
It was reported that the state government began negotiation process but pulled out claiming they have filed an appeal to overturn the court order asking the state to relocate residents of the community.
Before the court ruling, Lagos State government in connivance with the Elegushi royal family and the Police raided Otodo Gbame on five different occasions, torching houses, shooting indiscriminately and demolishing houses and all buildings in the waterfront community.
The invasion by the state government led to the death of not less than 15 residents of Otodo Gbame, many missing while many were also injured.
However, 11 months after the court ruling, residents of Otodo Gbame are yet to be relocated back to either their ancestral home or a new place.
It was gathered that the evicted residents, in order to maintain their source of livelihood, sleep in boats while some moved to other waterfront communities in the state.
A resident revealed to SaharaReporters that the forceful eviction by Lagos State government has separated families as parents and children have to stay in different places just for survival sake.
Efforts to push for justice by Otodo Gbame residents supported by Justice and Empowerment Initiative and Amnesty International were met with resentment and brutality on the part of the government.
One of such awful incidents was on 17th of November 2017, when personnel of the Nigeria Police Force fired tear gas at peacefully protesting residents of Otodo Gbame. The attack on the people was followed by the arrest of 158 who were subsequently released after the intervention of rights group.
Amnesty International had beckoned on Lagos state government to put an end to forceful evictions and demolitions of waterfront communities
“The Lagos state authorities must halt these attacks on poor communities who are being punished for the state’s urban planning failures. The instability and uncertainty created by forced evictions is making their lives a misery as they are left completely destitute”, Amnesty said in one of its report against anti-human actions by government.
Residents of the community are demanding that Akinwunmi Ambode and Lagos state government obey the court order and relocate them to another place or they are allowed to move back to their community.
The big question remains whether justice would prevail and evicted residents of Otodo Gbame would be relocated.