The Lagos High Court, Igbosere, has ruled in favour of the Otodo-Gbame residents who were forcibly evicted by the state government.
The presiding judge, Justice Surajudeen Onigbanjo, gave the verdict on Wednesday, June 21, ruling the evictions as unconstitutional, saying that it violated their rights and ordering compensation.
The Justice Empowerment Initiative (a Lagos-based human rights organisation) had filed a case against the governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and other Lagos officials for “Undermining Rule of Law and Democracy“.
The Otodo Gbame community is a slum of shanties occupied by peasants, mat-weaving fishermen and divers.
Thousands of residents were rendered homeless when the poor fishing community was set on fire then bulldozed on March 17, 2017, with many of them getting chased into the lagoon on boats.
A day before the March evictions, a High Court had barred the state government from bringing down all illegal waterfront communities like the Governor had threatened to do.
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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