Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights on Monday called for an independent investigation into the killing of six Owode traders and other deaths allegedly linked to demolitions across Lagos State.
The demand was made during a press conference organized by
the group to address what it described as the mishandling of the alleged
killings and the continued neglect of the bereaved families and traders in the
area.
Recall that in August last year, six persons were reportedly
shot dead by suspected police officers at Owode Onirin Market during a protest
following accusations of unlawful demolition and land grabbing.
Protests and renewed calls for justice, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, had reassured traders at the Owode Onirin Spare Parts Market of his commitment to ensuring justice over the demolition of their shops, allegedly carried out by a suspected land grabber.
However, speaking at the press conference on Monday, the
President of CHSR, Alex Omotehinse, cautioned against what he described as the
“criminalization of peaceful protest” by the police and attempts to distort
facts surrounding alleged illegal demolitions, forced evictions and killings
across the state.
Omotehinse said the organization was compelled to speak out
“in the interest of justice, accountability and the protection of civic space,”
stressing that CHSR remained committed to defending fundamental human and
socio-economic rights in Nigeria.
The group also condemned alleged intimidation, coercion and
manipulation aimed at isolating Owode Onirin traders from other communities
affected by demolitions, who recently staged a mass protest across Lagos.
“These six young Nigerians were not statistics. They were
sons, breadwinners, and victims of a brutal alliance between state actors, land
grabbers, armed thugs and compromised security operatives,” the organization
said.
It warned that “when the police descend into propaganda and
intimidation, they erode public trust and push society closer to chaos.”
CHSR demanded “an independent investigation into the killing
of the six Owode traders and other deaths linked to demolitions across Lagos
State”, as well as the prosecution of “all individuals and accomplices involved
in the killings.”
The group also called for “an end to police interference in
lawful protests and civic coalitions” and demanded “justice, compensation and
restoration for all affected communities.”
“History is watching. The victims are watching. Nigerians
are watching. The whole world is watching,” the organization added.
The most recent demolition exercise in Makoko has drawn
widespread criticism, with the government accused of destroying years of
residents’ investments without providing acceptable alternatives
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