THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL\u00a0 HAS STATED THAT DESPITE THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT\u2019S LOFTY DREAMS OF MAKING THE STATE A MEGA CITY, ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF LAGOSIANS LIVE IN SLUMS.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a press conference, in Lagos on the heels of the demolition of Ijora Badia East, Mr Oluwatosin Popoola, Amnesty International\u2019s Nigeria researcher, stated that the state government\u2019s failure to respect the rights of the residents of Badia had resulted in hardship for the people who still remained largely homeless and jobless despite pleas from them for compensation from the state government.<\/p>\n
He stated that forced evictions of Nigerians in Lagos had cost around 9,000 people their homes or livelihoods.\u00a0 He added that tens of thousands more could be at risk if the government proceeded with plans to redevelop the slum area of Badia East.<\/p>\n
According to a report jointly issued with the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC) and the Amnesty International, the Lagos State government must act consistently with Nigeria\u2019s obligations under the international law.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe effects of February\u2019s forced eviction have been devastating for the Badia East community, where dozens are still sleeping out in the open or under a nearby bridge exposed to rain, mosquitos and at risk of physical attack,\u201d the report stated.<\/p>\n
The report called on Lagos authorities to halt the forced evictions aimed at bringing order to the chaotic and crowded metropolis which is home to about 15 million people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lagos State government has violated the right to adequate housing of the residents of Badia East by failing to put in place any of the legal safeguards required under the international law, prior to evicting thousands of the residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe demolition has devastating consequences on the lives of the evictees. This is one eviction too many, all in the name of development. The Nigerian government has failed the people of Badia by resettling them in the area from Oluwole, where they were in 1973. Oluwole area is now home to the National Theatre and the Federal Government resettled them in Badia without proper documentation,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
SERAC\u2019s Coordinator, Mr Felix Morka, pointed out that the residents of Badia must be provided with effective remedies and reparation for the violations suffered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the case of Badia, we have seen old women, pregnant women and litle children forcefully left to the mercy of the elements all in the name of development. Most of the human rights standards were ignored,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
He called on the National Assembly to adopt a resolution concerning all forced evictions in Nigeria and also pass into law, without delay, a bill explicitly prohibiting forced evictions.<\/p>\n
The Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fasola, in a counter response to allegations made by Amnesty International has refuted claims that his administration is displacing some residents by pulling down their buildings.<\/p>\n
A report by the Amnesty International stated that an estimated 9,000 residents of Badia East lost their homes or livelihoods. However senior officials in the Lagos state government had claimed that the area was a rubbish dump.<\/p>\n
According to Oluwatosin Popoola who is Amnesty International\u2019s Nigeria researcher, \u201cThe effects of February\u2019s forced eviction have been devastating for the Badia East community where dozens are still sleeping out in the open or under a nearby bridge exposed to rain, mosquitoes and at risk of physical attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Governor Fashola countered Amnesty\u2019s allegation that the government\u2019s plan is to solve problems and ensure better living for residents.\u00a0 \u201cThat is why I have committed to build 1,008 flats in Badia, to take people out of living on the refuse heap.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that his government has decided to pay attention to the community which had hitherto been ignored. \u201cThat place has been there since I was a child and we have carried on as if nothing happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe easiest thing to do is to take a bull-dozer and bulldoze a slum because governments don\u2019t create slums, it is people who do.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that his administration\u2019s plan is to \u201cbulldoze away your difficult conditions\u201d by providing roads, drainages and primary health care centres.<\/p>\n
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, one of the evicted, Mrs Bimbo Osobe, described the situation as very harrowing and demoralising.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am 55 years old and I am homeless. What happened that day was shocking because there was no notice. They came with sledge hammers and all the law enforcement agents were armed. We stayed by the rail lines. They did not give us a chance to take any of our belongings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a house with tenants and their children living in there. I had shops, but they were all rendered useless. We are calling on the Lagos State government to come to our aid,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL\u00a0 HAS STATED THAT DESPITE THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT\u2019S LOFTY DREAMS OF MAKING THE STATE A MEGA CITY, ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF LAGOSIANS LIVE IN SLUMS. Speaking…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n