UPDATED: Oworonshoki residents block Third Mainland Bridge over demolition

Residents of Oworonshoki on Monday blocked a section of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos to protest the demolition of buildings in their community.

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The protesters were occupants of structures along the Iyana Oworonshoki coastal line, which were pulled down on Saturday by a Lagos State Government enforcement team.

The government said the structures were unapproved. The affected residents had been reportedly served a one-month notice to quit but refused to vacate before the demolition exercise.

Early Monday morning, hundreds of demonstrators, including women and children, blocked outbound lanes of the bridge demanding compensation, resettlement, and a halt to further demolitions.

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The protest caused traffic disruption on the busy bridge. It left many motorists stranded and forced many other commuters to seek alternative routes into Lagos Mainland.

According to Leadership Newspaper, eyewitnesses described the protest as peaceful but emotionally charged, with commuters abandoning vehicles and venting frustration on social media.

The logjam lasted for several hours, with placard-carrying protesters demanding accountability and immediate intervention

They accused the government of carrying out the demolition exercise without proper notice or compensation. They said many families had been left displaced and homeless.

They accused the government of arriving at night with bulldozers and security operatives, leaving many families homeless without alternatives.

Community leaders also argued that some of the affected buildings had existed for decades without prior challenge.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) update on X said the traffic logjam on the Third Mainland Bridge was gradually receding as of 4.40 p.m.

“Traffic inwards Adekunle Yaba is also on the high side due to motorists making use of this route,” the post stated.

The Lagos State Police Command later said on Monday that calm had been restored on the Third Mainland Bridge.

“Calm has been fully restored on 3rd Mainland Bridge after the swift intervention of CP Olohundare Jimoh. The Lagos Police Commissioner personally visited the scene, ensured safety and order, and reopened the road. Traffic is now flowing smoothly,” the command’s deputy spokesperson, Babaseyi Oluseyi, wrote accompanied by pictures on X at 5.48 p.m. on Monday.

Background

The enforcement exercise began on Saturday across Lekki and Iyana Oworonshoki coastal lines.

Officials maintained that the demolitions were part of efforts to clear flood-prone areas, tackle illegal sand dredging, and remove suspected criminal hideouts.

It followed repeated warnings from the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development that unchecked dredging—estimated at over 10,000 cubic metres of sand daily—posed serious risks to the state’s lagoon and waterfront communities.

In Ojulari Community, Oworonshoki, residents said they were woken around midnight when officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), backed by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), stormed the area with bulldozers.

Tear gas was reportedly used, sparking tension before residents were briefly allowed to salvage belongings.

Hundreds were displaced, though officials later suspended the operation for two weeks to give occupants more time to move. In Lekki, shanties said to harbour miscreants and flout environmental laws were also cleared.

Many displaced residents are now seeking refuge in churches, abandoned buildings, and makeshift shelters.

Waterfront concerns

The demolitions come ahead of the maiden Lagos State Waterfront Summit, scheduled for 11 September in Victoria Island.

Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Alebiosu, said the three-day event, themed “Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience”, will focus on illegal dredging, coastal erosion, and other threats to waterfront settlements.

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He revealed that communities such as Idotun Village in Ibeju-Lekki have already been swept away by erosion, displacing families and destroying livelihoods.

Mr Alebiosu added that Lagos is partnering with the Netherlands to design long-term coastal management solutions.

According to him, if properly managed, the lagoon could drive transportation, fisheries, tourism, and trade. More than 500 experts are expected at the summit to recommend strategies for protecting and sustainably managing the state’s waterfronts.