…Vow to march to Alausa, allege defiance of government order
Residents of Natufe/Animashaun community LCDA, off Babs Animashaun road in the Bode Thomas area of Surulere, Lagos, at the weekend trooped out in protest against the construction of a cemetery in their neighbourhood, describing the project as illegal, life-threatening, and environmentally dangerous.
Wielding placards with inscriptions such as “No to cemetery in Nature Estate,” “Don’t impose cemetery threat,” “Don’t turn our homes into a graveyard zone,” and “Say no to nightmares and scary scenes,” the protesters chanted in unison, “No to cemetery! We don’t want cemetery!” They vowed not only to resist the construction but also to take their protest to the Lagos State Government House in Alausa , Ikeja, this week to demand urgent intervention.
According to the protesters, the fence surrounding the proposed site had been marked twice by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority LASPPPA, with red inscriptions dated June 16 and June 26, 2025, yet ,the developer was allegedly still mobilising to continue work.
Vanguard observed that the property, which lies directly under a power line, had remained fallow for years due to its unsuitability for residential or commercial use.
Speaking with journalists, Chairperson of the Natufe/Animashaun Community Development Association ,CDA Alhaja Aminat Omolabake Braimoh, said the move to site a cemetery in the middle of a residential estate had thrown residents into fear and confusion.
She said “One of the developers was even saying, ‘If you’re not careful, we can revoke your C of O, close down the school, and shut the church.’ You can see they are hell-bent on going ahead with this project.
“This is a threat to life and sanity. The site sits directly opposite a school and within a densely populated area. Each time it rains, the school gets flooded and the water seeps into our boreholes. Now imagine what will happen when dead bodies are buried there? Our drinking water will be contaminated.”
Appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Information, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and the local government authorities to step in before the situation degenerates, she clarified . “We are not against development, but this is not development; it is death beside our homes”.
The protesting residents also expressed frustration that Governor Sanwo-Olu had personally stopped the project on at least three occasions, questioning how one individual could allegedly flout multiple government orders.
Another resident, Mr. Olanrewaju Olaniran of Chief Nature Street, recalled that the dispute dates back to 2020 when the community first raised alarm over plans to convert the space into a burial ground. “We stood up against it immediately. We wrote to about 11 ministries, including Physical Planning and Environment. How can anyone bring a cemetery to a place that is already waterlogged? If you bury someone here, it could lead to an epidemic. We are surrounded by canals and still manage to solve our problems ourselves. Unfortunately, they want to force this cemetery on us, and we are saying no,” he said.
Also lending his voice, Mr. Seyi Oluwafolarin, another resident, described the project as illegal and suspicious. “It looks like some people have been settled elsewhere to allow this to happen. How can someone come from nowhere and start erecting a cemetery in the middle of a residential area? How can you put a cemetery where people live, work, and raise their children?” he queried.
For Mr. Devline Chigbo, Chairman of Nature CDA, the proposed cemetery would bring more harm than good. He warned that it could contaminate boreholes and water sources, encourage ritual activities, kidnappings, and other crimes, as well as cause psychological trauma for residents. “This land can be used for something more productive—like a factory or industry that will create jobs and bring development—not a cemetery that brings fear and death,” he said.
Another resident, who identified himself simply as Nedu, said the community’s next move would be to escalate the protest to the Lagos State Government House. “We are not stopping here. This week, we are taking our protest to Alausa. Let them hear our cry before this matter leads to something worse. A cemetery here is a death sentence for the living,” he declared.
As of press time, efforts to reach officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development were unsuccessful. However, sources hinted that the government might soon invite community representatives for dialogue in a bid to calm the rising tension over the disputed project.
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