After Communal Clash Kills Four, Lagos Moves to Clear Ikola Power-Line Shanties 

The Lagos State Government has launched a controlled demolition of shanties and other illegal structures beneath high-tension power lines in Ikola, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, barely two days after a communal clash in the area claimed four lives.

The demolition, being led by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in partnership with the Lagos State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), is aimed at removing structures located within the statutory right-of-way of high-voltage electricity transmission lines.

The government said the deadly violence had exposed not only the security challenges confronting the community but also the potentially fatal environmental hazards created by the proliferation of informal settlements under the power lines.

In a statement on Saturday, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the recent confrontation between members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities had heightened concerns over the safety and security of residents in the area.

According to him, the extensive informal settlements beneath the high-voltage lines posed serious risks, including electrocution, fire outbreaks and structural collapse, and violated applicable national and international safety standards.

He said emergency and security agencies were immediately deployed to Ikola following the unrest to restore order, protect lives and prevent further escalation.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the demolition operation commenced only after residents affected by the exercise had been given adequate notice to evacuate and remove their belongings.

“The operation was preceded by adequate notice to affected residents. Communities were granted ample time to safely evacuate and recover personal belongings before the commencement of any demolition activity,” he said.

LASEMA said heavy recovery equipment was deployed to ensure that the structures within the power-line corridor were removed in a controlled and coordinated manner.

The agency also stressed that the operation was not directed at any ethnic group, despite the communal nature of the violence that preceded it.

“This intervention is therefore not targeted at any ethnic group or community, but at a dangerous structural reality that threatens everyone living in its path,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

The state government acknowledged that residents had legitimate needs for shelter and means of livelihood, but maintained that such considerations could not override the obligation of authorities to prevent avoidable deaths.

The government argued that no development could be regarded as sustainable where it exposed residents to foreseeable and preventable dangers.

The intervention followed a deadly clash at the Power Line Bus Stop, Ikola, on Thursday, in which four adult males were killed after a disagreement reportedly escalated into communal violence.

LASEMA had also reported that several makeshift structures were burnt during the unrest, while a number of people sustained injuries.

The Lagos State Police Command subsequently confirmed that calm had been restored in the area.

The state government said it would continue consultations with community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Ikola to strengthen peaceful coexistence and enforce urban planning and safety regulations.

It urged residents to cooperate with the demolition exercise, stressing that the objective was to eliminate dangerous structures, restore order around the power-line corridor and prevent another avoidable loss of lives.

DSS moves to halt Sowore’s cybercrime trial until after 2027 election

The Department of State Services (DSS) has directed its private counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to seek an adjournment of the ongoing cybercrime case against Omoyele Sowore until after the 2027 presidential election.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), is scheduled to contest the presidential election on January 16, 2027.

The proposed move would allow Sowore to participate fully in the 2027 election campaign without the pending court proceedings becoming an obstacle to his political activities.

The DSS has not withdrawn the case, and the proposed suspension has not yet been granted by the court. Rather, the agency is expected to formally ask the Federal High Court to defer further proceedings until after the election.

The development followed a reported meeting on August 20 between DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi, Kehinde and senior officials of the agency’s legal directorate.

According to a source familiar with the meeting, the DSS leadership considered the implications of the commencement of the presidential campaign on the case and concluded that Sowore should be allowed to exercise his constitutional right to contest the election without the pending proceedings hindering his campaign.

The meeting reportedly took place shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on campaigns for the 2027 presidential election.

The source said the DSS considered the case to have already been before the court for almost a year and believed that postponing further proceedings for several months would not materially affect the matter.

The DSS is expected to formally communicate its position to the Federal High Court when regular proceedings resume following the annual judicial vacation.

READ ALSO:

• Kogi Abduction: Kidnappers Demand ₦20m Ransom for Each NYSC Member
• Deadly Ikola clash: Lagos demolishes shanties beneath high-tension lines
• Benue varsity student arrested after allegedly pouring hot water on colleague

Kehinde subsequently confirmed the proposed move, saying the decision reflected what he described as the “civilised approach” of the current DSS leadership.

He said the agency was committed to providing a level playing field for political candidates and confirmed that the legal team would seek the court’s indulgence to adjourn the proceedings.

The case originated from social media posts made by Sowore on August 25, 2025, on his X account and Facebook page.

In the posts, Sowore referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal”, prompting the DSS to challenge the publications.

The security agency subsequently demanded that Sowore remove the posts.

When he declined to do so, the DSS approached the Federal High Court in September 2025, asking the court to determine whether the publications amounted to cyber-bullying and whether describing the President or another individual as a criminal without a court conviction was legally permissible.

The agency maintained that its action was intended to obtain judicial clarification rather than simply restrict Sowore’s political activities.

The DSS also argued that its statutory responsibilities include protecting the President from threats beyond physical attacks.

In a September 6, 2025 communication to Meta, the agency reportedly argued that its mandate extended to protecting the President from what it described as psychological attacks.

The security agency approached the court without initially arresting or inviting Sowore for questioning, seeking judicial determination of the issues raised by the publications.

The case has since generated controversy over freedom of expression, cybercrime laws and political rights, particularly because Sowore is a prominent opposition figure and presidential candidate.

Sowore has consistently denied wrongdoing and criticised the prosecution, while the DSS has maintained that the case raises legitimate legal questions surrounding online publications and the protection of public institutions.

The proceedings have also experienced several delays.

In May 2026, the Federal High Court dismissed Sowore’s no-case submission, holding that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence for him to enter a defence.

The ruling paved the way for the defence stage of the trial.

The proceedings subsequently became subject to further disagreements between the prosecution and defence over adjournments and other procedural matters.

The proposed DSS request therefore represents a significant development in the case because it would effectively place the proceedings on hold during the crucial months of the 2027 presidential campaign.

The agency is also reportedly reviewing other cases involving candidates contesting elective positions.

The review is expected to determine whether similar considerations should apply where ongoing prosecutions could interfere with candidates’ participation in the electoral process.

The development comes as political parties and presidential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 election.

Sowore is expected to campaign on the platform of the AAC and challenge President Tinubu and other presidential contenders.

The decision to seek an adjournment could consequently remove an immediate legal distraction for the AAC candidate during the campaign period.

However, the proposed adjournment does not amount to an acquittal, dismissal or withdrawal of charges.

If the Federal High Court grants the application, the case would remain pending and could resume after the presidential election.

This means the underlying legal dispute over Sowore’s social media posts would remain unresolved until the proceedings recommence.

The case has also renewed debate over the appropriate treatment of political candidates facing criminal proceedings during election campaigns.

Supporters of a postponement may argue that candidates should be allowed to participate fully in elections without avoidable legal distractions, while critics could question whether election participation should affect the normal progression of a criminal case.

The DSS’s position is that allowing the case to continue after the election would not prejudice the prosecution, particularly given that the matter has already spent considerable time before the court.

The final decision, however, rests with the court.

The Federal High Court will determine whether the circumstances justify postponing further proceedings until after the 2027 presidential election.

Until that ruling is made, the Sowore cybercrime case remains active and pending before the court.

The next stage will therefore depend on the formal application by the DSS and the response of Sowore’s defence team.

If granted, the adjournment would give Sowore a temporary legal reprieve as he campaigns for the presidency, while leaving the substantive issues raised by the DSS to be determined after the election.

DSS moves to halt Sowore’s cybercrime trial until after 2027 election