Ajah residents in the Ajiwe area of Lagos are begging the Lagos State Government not to demolish their homes until they are properly paid. They are asking Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to stop the planned demolition for now, saying they should be compensated first before any work begins.
The residents said their homes have been marked for demolition to allow for the Gas Link pipeline and Green Line Rail, which are both part of the new airport being built in the Ibeju Lekki area.
Last weekend, landlords and tenants in the area came out to protest on the Abraham Adesanya Expressway. They held up signs saying things like “We say no to demolition without compensation” and “Compensate us.”
One of the protest leaders, Kehinde Alakoso, admitted that the government’s project is for the public good, but added that they must also think about the people affected.
He said they had written letters to the governor, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, and other officials. According to him, they even had a meeting with the commissioner in April 2025, where they were promised compensation, but nothing has been done since then.
Alakoso also said that since the work on the pipeline started in November last year, many businesses have suffered. He explained that business entrances have been blocked, and property owners and tenants are now afraid because they don’t know what will happen next.
He made it clear that the residents bought their properties legally and have all the documents to prove it. He said the law allows the government to take private land for public use, but only if they pay the affected people. He asked the government to be fair and let them know how the compensation will work.
Another community leader, Ahmed Ajanaku, who is also the General Secretary of the Odugbese Ajereongbe Chieftaincy family, said that during a meeting at Swiss Hotel in VGC, the government promised to compensate them, but that promise was not kept.
A tenant named Prince Olanshile Mogaji, who has lived in Top Notch Plaza since 2004, also pleaded with the government to follow due process and treat them with respect.
