The Take It Back Movement has expressed outrage following the death of another victim of the ongoing demolition in Oworonshoki.
Mr. Benoit Avoyonkentomakpa before he died, was a resident of Ago-Egun, Mosafejo-Oworonshoki in Lagos, whose house was recently demolished during the government-backed operation in the community.
Avoyonkentomakpa reportedly passed away on Monday, barely days after the demolition that left him displaced and distressed.
His death has since intensified public condemnation of the demolitions that have rendered several families homeless in the area.
Reacting to the incident, the Take It Back Movement Organizer in Kosofe Local Government, Comrade Opeyemi Ogunlami Benjamin, lamented the worsening condition of citizens under government policies that disregard human dignity.
Taking to his Facebook page, Benjamin said Nigerians now “live like chickens in their own home country,” a situation he described as shameful and inhumane.
He stated, “No dignity, no freedom, no regard to human existence. Leaders have ruined what’s left of the country for self interest.”
He further criticized what he called a recurring pattern of state-sponsored demolitions executed without humane alternatives, compensation, or concern for the socioeconomic consequences on already struggling citizens.
The Take It Back Movement further demanded accountability for the death of Avoyonkentomakpa and called for an immediate review of demolition exercises across Lagos and other affected communities, insisting that development must not come at the cost of human lives.
As concerns continue to mount, residents of the demolished settlements are urging authorities to halt further demolitions and provide relief support for displaced families, warning that more fatalities may occur if urgent intervention is not taken.
Avoyonkentomakpa’s death has now become another grim reminder of Nigeria’s housing crisis and governance failures, sparking renewed calls for justice, humane policies, and respect for citizens’ rights.
Last Thursday, the Take It Back Movement, Lagos State Chapter had shared a statement condemning the violent and unlawful actions reportedly carried out during the new wave of forced eviction exercise in the community.
Eyewitnesses informed the Movement that properties were destroyed during the operation.
“Eyewitnesses report that properties were set ablaze during the operation, leaving several residents homeless and traumatized,” the statement said.
Residents made it known that security operatives and other unidentified men were involved in the destruction.
According to the statement, signed by the state coordinator, Adekunle Taofeeq, residents said the “unidentified individuals alleged to be hired thugs, forcibly entered homes, removed valuables, and set buildings on fire”.
One of the families affected, the Babsolowos, reportedly lost their home while their elderly grandmother was still inside the structure.
“Among the affected families is that of Babsolowo Aramide and Babsolowo Oluwakemi, whose grandmother was reportedly still inside the residence at the time the structures were being destroyed. Witnesses say the family was left without shelter or access to their belongings following the incident,” the statement said.
The situation escalated when the two women were allegedly arrested hours later by “police officers on allegations of using abusive language during the chaotic events.”
Community members say both women were held for several hours “in a police van (Black Maria) before being transferred to the Lagos Task Force Police Base in Oshodi where they now face the threat of immediate arraignment in a mobile court”.
The Take It Back Movement criticised the conduct of the operatives involved in the eviction exercise.
They noted that it strongly opposes what it describes as “the increasing use of violent force, intimidation, and the involvement of non-state actors during eviction exercises conducted under the banner of urban rehabilitation”.
The movement issued several demands to authorities, beginning with the release of the detained women.
It also called for an inquiry into the “alleged arson, theft, assault, and unlawful detentions associated with the eviction operation”.
The movement further demanded an end to ongoing demolition exercises in Oworonshoki and other Lagos communities.
It demanded more transparent approaches to urban development, urging the prioritizing of the “safety, rights, and dignity of residents rather than actions that appear to benefit private interests and elites at the expense of vulnerable families”.
The movement further described the current situation as unacceptable, saying, “No government initiative—whether termed urban renewal, rehabilitation, or development—should involve the destruction of homes, intimidation, or the criminalization of victims.”
Oworonshoki, a waterfront community in the Kosofe Local Government Area, has faced persistent demolitions since 2016 by the Lagos State government.
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