News
What is Happening in Tarkwa Bay?
On Tuesday afternoon news began to filter through that gunshots had been heard on Tarkwa Bay, the popular island that’s home to beaches along the Atlantic coast.
It was unclear what was happening. Journalist Kiki Mordi said she’d spoken to the Baale of the island, who confirmed the gunshots but said they were to “lure out oil bunkerers.” Others, however, said the island was being cleared off, its people evacuated.
Photos began to arrive as evening neared, showing people with their belongings in Ghana-must-go bags, their mattresses on the waterfront. It looked like, really, people who had spent their entire lives on Tarkwa Bay were being evacuated, with no alternative accommodation provided. Basically, they were being rendered homeless.
The Nigerian navy said the operation was aimed at protecting equipment belonging to the country’s national oil company from “vandals,” but even more pictures showed the people of Tarkwa Bay logging their properties out of the island.
According to Punch, an eyewitness said a naval personnel, who had been on surveillance of petroleum product pipeline in the area, accused members of the community of vandalising the pipeline in a bid to steal fuel.
Tarkwa Bay is the 24th community in the area that has received eviction orders, Punch reports, as part of the broader operation by the navy. Thousands of people have left their homes in surrounding areas since December 21 and their residences have reportedly been demolished.
This calls to mind the evacuation of other waterfront communities like Otodo Gbame, whose residents are still yet to be resettled.
Looks like the government is committed to creating more homelessness, replacing low-income homes with luxurious high rise buildings that remain empty.
See photos and videos from the forced evictions:
Good morning sir/ma
Please there a secret mission ongoing in tarkwabay island by the federal government and Nigerian Army displacing dwellers from their home and shooting sporadically to threaten whoever refuses to leave. #savetarwabay #NigerianArmyDictatorship pic.twitter.com/OOCP96VK4i
— Joseph A Sunday (@Jose_Sunnex) January 21, 2020
ALSO ONGOING: #TarkwaBay becomes the 24th island community in #Lagos to be evicted by @NigerianNavy since Christmas Eve. Reports incoming that Navy is clearing whole community using bullets, teargas, bulldozers — @NaijaFederation moving from Court of Appeal to stand w/ evictees pic.twitter.com/5VzjvAnTDK
— JEI (@justempower) January 21, 2020
Lives scattered as #TarkwaBay community in #Lagos as @NigerianNavy chases thousands out with less than 1 hours’ notice, boatloads arriving at CMS jetty with all belongings and nowhere to go. #EndForcedEvictions #LagosOnFire pic.twitter.com/bUfkOF1c4A
— JEI (@justempower) January 21, 2020
The residents of Tarkwa Bay Island are being forced by the men of the Nigerian Army to evacuate the island as we speak.
No prior notice, nothing!!!
Where do they want them to go to? This is so sad ?? pic.twitter.com/mUPM1uS1zE
— Akorede J. Ayanbisi (@AJAyanbisi) January 21, 2020
a cropped photo to establish the story yesterday. look carefully and you will see two military men, and civilians hastily moving their things..#enforcedeviction#tarkwabay
photo: neec nonso pic.twitter.com/MkHKUjRnbx
— neec nonso (@neecnonso) January 22, 2020
man pulling off his antenna.. everything must be evacuated, else they'll be demolished.#tarkwabay #enforcedeviction #savetarkwabay pic.twitter.com/Xonu7EV8GU
— neec nonso (@neecnonso) January 22, 2020
if you want people to leave their communities due to any silly government reasons, make sure you provide an alternative place for them to stay..
but no, the crack heads just want to do things the crack head way style..#savetarkwabay #tarkwabay #tarkwabayeviction pic.twitter.com/bi33SNhEg5— neec nonso (@neecnonso) January 22, 2020
Thousands of Nigerians rendered homeless on Tarkwa Bay Island.
It was reported that members of the Nigerian Army forcefully ejected residents of Tarkwa Bay. These reports also hold that there was no prior notice given to its residents.#TarkwaBay pic.twitter.com/ZyH87R56E9
— Amalang (@amalang01) January 22, 2020
a fellow artist trying to water his plants for the last time before leaving them.
he had evacuated his works, books and few belongings after the #enforcedeviction. he couldn't carry other things like his tools, plants & etcetera cause of the suddenness of the eviction#tarkwabay pic.twitter.com/4YYvwS2hct— neec nonso (@neecnonso) January 22, 2020
The government evacuated everyone living in tarkwa bay island, where will all these people relocate to? pic.twitter.com/2nHbp01Koc
— baby boo always (@_tosberrie) January 21, 2020
Help kindly retweet
This is really bad Nigeria Army and federal government invading Tarkwa bay beach pursuing everyone in the community #tarkwabaybeach
If you have been to to Tarkwa bay beach you’ll know how important this beach is to us #tarkwabaybeach pic.twitter.com/LGGZ9tMv7t— timi of lagos (@timi_of_lagos) January 21, 2020
at tarkwa bay jetty.. hundreds of family trying to evacuate their belongings after the sudden informal announcement of evacuation..#enforcedevacuation #tarkwabay #savetarkwabay pic.twitter.com/jRqWKQmBD2
— neec nonso (@neecnonso) January 22, 2020