By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
LAGOS, NIGERIA – September 8, 2025:
The usually busy Third Mainland Bridge was thrown into chaos on Monday as protesting residents of Oworonshoki blocked the inward Lagos lane to express their anger over the demolition of houses in their community.
The demonstration, which began in the early hours, left thousands of commuters stranded for hours as vehicular movement was brought to a standstill on one of the city’s most critical highways.
Eyewitnesses said the protesters, made up of men, women, and youths, stormed the bridge with placards, chanting solidarity songs and demanding an immediate halt to what they described as a “forceful and inhumane eviction.”
“We woke up to see bulldozers destroying our homes without any prior notice. Where do they expect us to go? We cannot fold our hands while our families are thrown into the streets,” said one of the protesters, who identified herself as Mrs. Taiwo Adeniran.
The blockade caused heavy traffic gridlock stretching across Yaba, Oworonshoki, and other adjoining areas, forcing motorists to divert to alternative routes. Commercial activities in parts of the city were also disrupted as commuters were delayed on their way to work and business engagements.
The Merit Newspaper reports that the officials of the Lagos State Task Force and security operatives were deployed to the scene to restore calm. However, tensions remained high as the residents vowed to continue resisting what they called an “unjust demolition” unless the government provided alternative housing solutions.
The Lagos State Government is yet to issue a formal statement regarding the incident at the time of filing this report.
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The Third Mainland Bridge, which connects Lagos Island to the mainland, is one of the busiest bridges in Africa and serves as a lifeline for millions of commuters daily. Monday’s blockade underscores the growing tension between urban renewal efforts and the plight of vulnerable communities in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
View the video of the protesters:
