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Otumara: Displaced residents remain apprehensive over govt compensation

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2 days ago

Remains of Otumara community after demolition

Residents of Otumara community in Lagos were displaced earlier this year after the state government demolished homes and shops in that community. Several of these residents have made the motor park and bridge in the area their dwelling place while they wait with scepticism for the expected compensation from government, writes SUBAIR MOHAMMED.

Displaced residents of Otumara community in the Lagos Mainland Local Government in Lagos State are demanding fair compensation and resettlement from the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government as they temporarily seek dwelling under the Costain Bridge and the Inter-State motor park located within the community.

Thousands of residents of the community were displaced in an early hour demolition exercise carried out by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) on March 7.

The three-day demolition left many residents and businesses stranded with many of them turning to motor parks and Costain under Bridge for shelter.

When Nigerian Tribune visited the community, many of the residents were seen taking their bath in a makeshift bathroom erected by the fence of Ilogbo Junior High School. They cook and pass the night under the bridge and at the motor park.

One of the displaced residents, 52-year-old, Donatus Mbam, expressed frustration and anger that no form of respite or monetary compensation or resettlement plan has come their way from the Lagos State Government since the demolition over a month ago.

He also expressed fear that their situation would go the way of other displaced residents of communities who were neither compensated nor relocated after their properties were demolished and their land taken over by the government.

“We’ve been left stranded for over a month. Many of us now live either under the Costain Bridge or the motor garage located within the community. Is it that there is no government or they are only being insensitive to our plight?” he quizzed.

Displaced residents express frustration, fear

Like Mbam, other displaced residents shared similar views as they grieved over the loss of their properties, homes and businesses.

A mother of six, Mrs Amushe Okoro, shared the pain of being separated from her children, leaving them in the care of the villagers in faraway Ebonyi State.

She said, “I don’t know why a responsible government would fold its arms and watch residents in its state living under the bridge day and night. In the course of our living in this kind of situation we were forced into, many of us have lost valuables.

“For instance, I lost essential belongings during the demolition exercise and when I moved to the garage, I cannot explain how some of my belongings got missing. This is because they were left in public glare. Anybody could pick them up and go with them.

“The most hurtful part of this situation is the pain of parting with my six children. You know how it feels to be forcefully detached from your children. We were separated by the demolition. At first, we all decided to leave Lagos for Ebonyi State when the frustration became heightened but while at the village, we couldn’t feed.

“There was nothing to eat so I had to leave them behind and return to Lagos to struggle and send the little I earn to them.”

She said that recently, officials of the Lagos State Government paid a visit to the community and gave out some forms for verification and enumeration exercise.

“Even the forms they brought, I couldn’t get because they said I will have to provide LASURA permit. I have been living in the community for 16 years. My home and shop were located in the community but they were all destroyed in a day. I am the only person working in Lagos without any help from anybody except God. You can see where I’m frying groundnut for sale.

“I have attempted to secure an accommodation with the N300,000 I was able to save, but I couldn’t. The cost of securing an accommodation was far beyond the reach of a common man. You can see the dilemma we were forced into. The Lagos State Government must either compensate or relocate us.”

Having lost all his household appliances and merchandise to thieves during the demolition, Mbam was left with no other option than to assist his wife in her food business.

When Nigerian Tribune visited, the couple were seen washing vegetables while one of their four children washed cow skin in preparation for the day’s sales.

He said, “I lost everything I had, including my wares and household appliances. I have nothing except few of my clothes and these kitchen utensils which my wife uses in preparing the food she sells. As we were taking our property out of my house and dropping them outside, they were getting into the hands of thieves. I can only appeal to the Lagos State Government to ensure we are adequately compensated. The government should take it up and not leave it to any individual to compensate victims because he won’t be able to give adequate compensation to all the affected persons and landlords.

“If we should relocate to our village, what would we be eating? We have nothing to survive on back in the village. When government officials visited, I collected the verification form, but what magic are they going to do to comfort countless number of distressed souls? What has the government done to the displaced people in Pelewura and other Lagos communities? So I doubt if they would do anything to compensate or relocate us but it’s important they do because we cannot continue to live in motor garage and under the bridge.”

A female Abacha (a local African meal) hawker who simply identified herself as Gladys told Nigerian Tribune that she lives in the garage with her sister and her three children.

She said, “Some of us live under the bridge while some live inside the garage. We put our bags and baggage outside in the garage. It’s been hell for my sister and her three children since we were moved out of our homes. I won’t even say we were moved, we fled out of our homes. They came suddenly and in the process of fleeing, we lost everything we’ve laboured for. I heard some people from the Lagos State Government came to the community with forms but would I say because of that I won’t go out to hawk for what we will eat? For me, nothing good can come out of what they are doing or planning to do because anyone that is as callous as to demolish homes and destroy the future of many people, both young and old, they are enemies of God and the people. I know this is a phase in our lives and it will surely pass if we didn’t die in the process.”

Lagos govt not ready to compensate, resettle us – Former landlord

A former landlord in the demolished Otumara community, Hafeez Olonisakin, who spoke on behalf of former landlords of the community, alleged that Lagos State Government has not promised any form of compensation.

According to him, officials of the state visited the community to distribute verification and enumeration forms to both tenants and landlords.

He added, “So far, this is not suggestive of Lagos State Government readiness to compensate and resettle residents of the demolished Otumara community. In fact, I would say they are not ready to compensate and resettle us because if they are, they would have done that before embarking on the demolition exercise.

“We were sent out into the cold and insecurity that envelopes the night with our teenage females out there falling prey to the waiting arms of pedophiles. We don’t trust the Lagos State Government especially with their handling of our issues since the demolition. They are both interfacing with members of the community and those that are behind the demolition.

“On our part, we have representation in Meghan Campbell, the rights activist who has been doing excellently well to represent our interests, but there are some fifth columnists among stakeholders in the community. They are doing everything possible to frustrate our efforts to force the Lagos State Government to compensate and resettle us. The landgrabber is doing the bidding of his paymaster but if we remain united and unbroken, their evil agenda will fail. We utterly reject compensation from the landgrabber. He cannot be against us and at the same time be for us.

“We were forced out of our homes unlawfully; therefore we must be compensated adequately. We have those that are fighting for us but some agents of darkness are liaising with the landgrabber to thwart our efforts. As at today, Lagos State Government has not promised us anything. They only came to the community, held a meeting and distributed verification and enumeration forms to tenants and landlords and that was all.

“So they haven’t done or said anything that’s worth holding on to. This is why we must remain indivisible for us not to suffer unjustly. Every one of us especially landlords must be adequately compensated by the Lagos State Government and not by an individual with an ulterior motive.”

Displaced residents are suffering, need urgent intervention – Community stakeholder

A stakeholder in the community, Jeffery Anyansi, said displaced residents of the community living under the bridge, in school premises and the motor park are suffering and urgently require government intervention.

He explained further, “I believe that if this matter is delayed for too long, that matter might become a bit difficult to handle. The people living under the Bridge and within the school premises are suffering.”

Lagos initiates compensation process

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has initiated verification and enumeration exercise, a move signaling the compensation for the displaced residents of Otumara community.

The Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GiS and Urban Development, Olajide Abiodun, disclosed this recently when he led a delegation of the Lagos State Government to a meeting with stakeholders at the demolished community.

During the visit, verification and enumeration forms were distributed to affected residents while Abiodun assured the displaced residents of adequate compensation consequent to the enumeration and regularisation of land documents in the ongoing enumeration exercise by LASURA.

He said, “LASURA has your interest at heart. They will not allow anybody to hijack the ongoing regeneration and the process. It is LASURA that is in charge of this regeneration plan, no individual is in charge. I don’t care how highly placed the person is. Our governor wants everybody to be happy, therefore be assured that your interests shall adequately be protected.”