Angry Salaji homeowners disrupted a government press conference in protest against the demolition of their homes.

The affected homeowners, who were present during the press conference, began protesting when the government defended the demolition, claiming that the affected homes were built illegally.

One elderly man, whose home was demolished, interrupted the proceedings, accusing officials of conducting unlawful demolitions. He also criticised the government for denying affected residents the chance to present their side of the story.

“You invited us but refused to let us speak about our problems. Instead, you just repeated what you had already planned to say, but you didn’t mention how you illegally demolished our homes,” he said.

Another woman, who claimed to be a single mother, also dismissed the claims of receiving an eviction notice, describing them as “false and a lie”.

“They claimed to have served us with a notice, but that’s not true. Not everyone was served a notice. Since we started building our homes, they didn’t tell us not to build. They allowed us to continue until we had finished building, and then they came and demolished our homes. This is so wicked, heartless, and difficult to bear.”

“We are not happy. As a single parent, you do all you can to build your home, only for it to be demolished out of spite. They didn’t tell the truth. What they said is not true,” she said.

By Adama Makasuba