Ajah Residents Demand Pay Before Lekki Airport Demolition

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Residents and property owners in the Ajiwe community of Ajah, Lagos, have issued a passionate plea to the Lagos State Government to delay the planned demolition of their properties until fair compensation is provided.

The affected structures, many with valid title documents, are reportedly marked for demolition to pave the way for key infrastructure projects namely the Gas Link pipeline and the Green Line Rail, both of which are part of the ongoing development for the new Lekki International Airport in Ibeju-Lekki.

Over the weekend, frustrated landlords and tenants staged a peaceful protest along the Abraham Adesanya Expressway, brandishing placards with messages such as:

• “No Demolition Without Compensation!”

• “We Say No to Injustice!”

• “Compensate Us Before Demolition!”

Spokesperson for the protesters, Mr. Kehinde Alakoso, emphasized that while the community acknowledges the importance of the public projects, the government must respect the human and economic costs involved.

“We are not against development,” Alakoso said. “But we cannot be pushed aside without due process. We have written to the Governor and the Commissioner for Physical Planning, and even held meetings in April 2025 where compensation was promised. Yet, we have received nothing.”

He added that since pipeline work began in November 2024, access roads have been blocked, businesses have collapsed, and families live in fear of sudden eviction and destruction.

Alakoso pointed out that many of the properties were legally acquired with complete documentation.

“The law allows for public acquisition, but mandates fair compensation. This is not just about buildings it's about people’s lives, investments, and dignity.”

Mr. Ahmed Ajanaku, representing the Odugbese Ajereongbe Chieftaincy family, also decried the state government’s failure to uphold assurances made during a stakeholder engagement at the Swiss Hotel in VGC.

Similarly, Prince Olanshile Mogaji, a tenant of Top Notch Plaza since 2004, appealed for due process:

“We’re not here to fight the government. We simply ask that they do what’s right respect the rule of law and compensate us fairly.”

As Lagos continues its rapid urban transformation with high-profile projects like the Lekki airport, affected communities say they must not be sacrificed on the altar of progress.

The residents of Ajah are not rejecting change they are demanding fairness, transparency, and dignity in how that change is implemented.