Igbogbo-Baiyeku demolition: Residents demand compensation from Sanwo-Olu

Some residents of Igbogbo-Baiyeku, Ikorodu, Lagos State, have protested non payment of compensation, three years after their houses were demolished for a road project in the area.

It was reported that the placard-carrying victims stormed Igbogbo-Baiyeku Council Secretariat, demanding compensation for their demolished property as Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was inaugurating a newly built office.

NAN reports that over 500 buildings were demolished in December 2017 to pave way for the construction of Igbogbo – Igbe-Ilara road, with a promise to compensate the victims after the demolition exercise.

The affected residents were with placards expressing their displeasure over delay in compensating of them.

The placards had inscriptions such as ”Sanwo-Olu, The Listening Governor”, ”Help Us To Pay Our Compensation We Are Suffering”.

Mr Jacob Arogundade, a 77-year-old pensioner and one of the victims, said that he built the house with gratuity paid to him after 35 years of service as a civil servant.

”I am a pensioner, I used all the money paid to me as gratuity after 35 years of meritorious service as civil servant.

”There is no way I can build another one, I am of age, I only live inside the hallow room left after the demolition,” he said.

Mrs Titilayo Akintoye, another victim, said that her mother died as a result of shock, when information came that her house would be demolished to pave way for road construction in the area.

Akintoye said the rent was what her mother used to sustain the family as a widow, who had lost her husband in a ghastly accident.

Another victim, Mr Adeboye Asela, 65, said that his children were scattered among his friends, while himself and wife had been moving from one place to the other to stay.

Asela appealed on the governor to pay their compensation to enable him take care of his family and reduce the untold hardship they were currently going through.

Responding during his LCDA Secretariat inauguration speech, Gov. Sanwo-Olu, promised to pay the compensation to residents whose houses were demolished for construction of the road.

He said that the compensation would be paid to the victims in the next 30 to 40 days to alleviate the suffering of those affected.

“I am given you a commitment that the compensation due for that road will be paid in the next 30 to 40 days,” the governor said.