Residents count losses, as Lagos Task Force demolishes Monkey Village, Opebi in Lagos

Monkey Village, an informal community located at Opebi, behind Abule Onigbagbo bus stop in Lagos has been demolished by the Lagos State Taskforce.

There was confusion in the area, which is believed to be a private land occupied with the understanding of the owners witnessed the demolition exercise as some residents said took them unaware because there was no prior notice to that effect.

Some of the residents said they had already gone to their workplaces before receiving emergency calls from neighbours that their houses, makeshift houses and shops in the community, the ICT centre and library in the community were being demolished, while the taskforce prevented them from moving close to the scene to rescue their valuables.

However, the Lagos State Building Control Agencies (LASBCA), the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources in Lagos State, has so far claimed ignorance of the whole exercise, adding that the taskforce was not from them.

Some of the residents also lamented that despite lack of prior notice to quit before now, the state government decided to pick December 31 when people are in the New Year mood to carry out the demolition exercise.