Lagos Govt Abandoned Us After Demolishing Our Homes For Road Expansion Since 2021, 24 Displaced Families Cry Out

More than 24 families in the NITEL Estate area of Satellite Town, Lagos, have raised concerns over the Lagos State Government's failure to pay compensation, over three years after their homes were demolished for a road expansion project.

The affected residents, some of whom now live in half-demolished structures, say the government has abandoned them to their fate despite multiple engagements, document submissions, and promises of compensation.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, one of the affected residents said the ordeal began in 2021 when the Lagos State Government notified them of the planned demolition.

“On the 1st of September 2021, the Lagos State Government sent us a demolition notice. They said they are going to pay us compensation. By the end of September that year, they came with their bulldozer to pull down the estate fence,” the affected resident said.

“After the demolition of the fence, they gave us a two-week ultimatum to move our things from the part they wanted to demolish from the house. And they actually came back in two weeks' time to demolish it.”

The resident, whose family property was affected, said the demolition left them with a partial structure with no basic amenities.

“One of the affected buildings is my late father’s house. It was a two-room apartment but it has been reduced to a room and a parlour self-contained. One room has been taken out during the demolition, and there is no kitchen anymore—it has been demolished too. That is how we have been living since the demolition,” the resident said.

The residents said that despite several attempts to reach the government through advocacy groups and personal visits, all attempts have failed.

“We made every effort to try to reach the government through support groups. But all to no avail. Even one of our late members had the opportunity to meet the deputy governor of the state,” the resident added.

Shockingly, after the dualised road was completed in 2024 and officially opened by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in January 2025, the affected families say the government has gone completely silent.

“To our surprise, after the dualisation of the road was completed last year, and the road was inaugurated by the governor this January, we have not heard anything from the government,” one of the residents said.

“Since 2021, we have been the ones trying to reach them. We submitted our documents to the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. We went back to ask how soon our money would come, but we did not hear any tangible response.”

The resident said government officials had earlier told them compensation could take "up to two years," but they have waited in vain for four years.

“Even before the demolition came in 2021, I personally went to their office to ask how soon our compensation would be. They told me then that it could take up to two years or more, and presently it is already four years without hearing anything from them. They did not even care how we are coping and how we are living,” a resident said.

“Even when the governor came in January to commission the road, he did not even come inside the road to see what is happening. Till now, we have not heard anything from them.”

When SaharaReporters reached out to the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for comments, Adeniyi Oduguwa, an officer involved in the matter, declined to provide a statement.

“I don’t want to comment about this issue. If you want to hear anything, come to the ministry and let’s see,” he said via phone call.