Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 Lagos State governorship election and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has alleged that he was threatened and tear-gassed by suspected thugs linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during a visit to the Jakande Housing Estate, Ilesan, Lagos.

Rhodes-Vivour made the allegation in a post on X on Tuesday, where he accused operatives of the Lagos State Government of carrying out what he described as a “lawless demolition” despite an existing court injunction restraining the exercise.

According to him, residents of the estate were brutalised as officials attempted to clear the area for developers, adding that an engineer identified simply as Maro was beaten and left in a coma.

He said the actions of the government amounted to a violation of citizens’ rights and accused the administration of using violence to dispossess residents of their homes.

“The brazen daylight rape of citizens’ rights carried out by the APC Lagos government must be resisted,” Rhodes-Vivour said.

He further alleged that landlords were either rendered homeless overnight or offered N11 million as compensation, which he described as grossly inadequate to secure alternative accommodation in the same area.

“Thugs dressed as task force operatives even had the audacity to threaten to harm me and then fired tear gas at me. This is the thugocracy that the APC government has reduced Lagos to — a government of lawless land grabbers who rely on violence to secure their power,” he added.

Rhodes-Vivour criticised the state government for, in his words, prioritising land acquisition for unaffordable housing while worsening homelessness among young people and deepening the cost-of-living crisis.

He also invoked the legacy of the late former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, who built the housing estate to provide affordable homes for low-income earners.

“Alhaji Jakande built housing for the poor, yet people who have not achieved close to what he delivered are focused on demolishing such legacies and constantly pushing the poor away — from indigenous communities to migrant ones. Everyone is affected,” he said.

Calling for an end to the demolition exercise, Rhodes-Vivour described the current administration as “power-drunk” and urged Lagos residents to resist what he termed anti-poor governance.

As of press time, the Lagos State Government had yet to respond to the allegations.

Meanwhile, residents of Jakande Estate, Ilesan, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex, protesting alleged plans by the government to carry out further demolitions.

Leading the protest, Abdulhameed Shuaib appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to halt the demolition, respect the court injunction and ensure a fair and transparent resolution of the dispute.