Traders injured as Owode market demolition resumes despite court injunction
Several traders sustained injuries yesterday at the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market in Lagos during an alleged invasion by armed police officers and thugs amid ongoing demolition efforts.
Witnesses said the early morning operation saw caterpillars demolishing shops, while police fired shots into the air to disperse traders who resisted the action. Eyewitnesses, supported by pictorial and video evidence, revealed that the fracas lasted for hours, leaving many traders injured.
The incident followed a similar raid on March 6, 2025, when over 500 shops were demolished, leading to protests and a petition submitted to the Lagos State House of Assembly and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on March 27. With no governmental response, the traders took the matter to court.
The ongoing case, B.I. Olowu vs Shomolu and Kosofe Local Councils (Suit No. ID/1757/1994), is before an Ikeja High Court. On June 2, the court issued an injunction directing all parties to maintain the status quo until the next hearing on July 2, 2025.
Reacting to the incident, the President of the Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR), Comrade Alex Omotehinse, condemned the operation and appealed for urgent intervention from police authorities.
Today, Thursday, June 19, 2025, we reliably gathered that the land grabbers mobilised hundreds of thugs and fully armed policemen to invade the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market to demolish shops. The policemen were shooting sporadically to scare the traders from stopping the land grabbers’ caterpillar from destroying their shops, and this has injured some traders.
“We use this medium to call on the AIG Zone 2 and the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, to quickly call the policemen to order. There is a Lagos High Court order for the status quo to remain pending the determination of the suit before the court.
We appeal to the police authorities to address these issues urgently to prevent a breakdown of public order and safety. This is the time to promote and sustain the rule of law, as the parties concerned have their matter before a competent court. Continued police involvement in defiance of a court order threatens public peace and erodes confidence in legal institutions,” Omotehinse said.
One of the traders, Solomon Joel, expressed concern that the situation could escalate into chaos if urgent action is not taken. Community leaders have called on police authorities to investigate the officers’ actions and ensure justice is served.
Efforts to reach the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone did not connect.
Photo: Owode. Caption: Bulldozer demolishing shops yesterday
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