More than 70 homes were demolished in Lagos State’s Oworonshoki community late Saturday night, despite a Lagos High Court injunction issued just days earlier barring further demolitions.

The operation displaced hundreds of residents and has sparked accusations of contempt of court against state authorities.

The demolition, which residents described as abrupt and unannounced, targeted properties on Ajileru Street, Ososa Extension, and Toluwalase Street within the Itesiwaju Ajumoni Community Development Area, spanning roughly 30 hectares. Eyewitnesses said bulldozers arrived under the cover of darkness, accompanied by over 50 armed security personnel who fired tear gas to disperse protesting residents.

“We were asleep when they came—elderly people, pregnant women, and children were running barefoot into the cold,” said Adewale, a landlord who lost his three-bedroom home. Another resident, Adenike, who is heavily pregnant, added: “The court said stop, so we stayed. Now we’ve lost everything.”

Justice A.G. Balogun of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, had on October 23, 2025, in Suit No. ID/9910GCM/2025, issued an interim injunction restraining the Lagos State Government, its Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) from carrying out further demolitions. The order was intended to preserve the rights of affected residents, including plaintiffs Pastor Jonathan Olusegun Ojo and Apostle Jacob Oladele Ola, pending compliance with pre-action protocols.

Community leaders estimate that over 200 families were affected, with no prior enumeration or compensation, despite assurances under the Land Use Act. LASBCA officials defended the action, citing the need to clear illegal structures obstructing drainage channels in a flood-prone area. “Safety first—these buildings blocked vital waterways,” said a LASBCA source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The agency claimed the court order was under review and did not apply to “ongoing operations.”

The Lagos State Government, through Commissioner for Information Steve Ayorinde, reiterated its commitment to urban renewal but did not directly address the alleged violation of the court order. He promised continued “dialogue” with affected residents.

Legal representatives for the Itesiwaju Ajumoni CDA, the plaintiffs in the suit, vowed to file contempt proceedings. “This is a mockery of justice—self-help over due process,” said their counsel, confirming that the court order had been duly served.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana condemned the demolitions as “inhumane,” drawing parallels to a 1986 Supreme Court ruling that rebuked Lagos State for similar defiance during military rule.

As families sift through rubble and seek shelter with relatives, calls are growing for federal intervention. The incident underscores the persistent tension in Nigeria’s urban planning landscape, where an estimated 70% of Lagos residents live in informal settlements, according to UN-Habitat—fueling a cycle of construction, demolition, and displacement.