The Lagos State government is demolishing houses to accommodate the proposed 10-lane Lagos- Badagry expressway.

The project, when completed, will include a Bus Rapid Transit line as well as a light rail line.

In a meeting held early this month with some of the landlords whose property is affected, the government promised to start paying the compensation next month.

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was at the meeting, said that the government had not decided on what to pay as compensation.

“Even, beside that, the process of determining the amount of what to pay as compensation is not easy. But we would ensure that those who are qualified receive the payment. Nobody would suffer deprivation,” a report quoted Mr. Fashola as saying.

According to the supervisor at the demolition site at Orile, Nurudeen Alowonile, the demolition, which started on Saturday, has been hitch free.

“The people whose property will be demolished are aware; they have been speaking with the government and were told to bring all their papers for compensation. They are paying the compensation in batches,” Mr. Alowonile said on Monday.

Some of the traders whose offices were demolished expressed their support for the project but urged the government to provide an alternative business place.

“Though we are not their [government’s[ tenants, they are supposed to relocate people since we have been here for a long time,” Austin Nnabara, a victim of the demolition, said. “Personally, I am very happy, though I am affected. I see it as the price I am going to pay for this project which will be an asset to the generations unborn.”

While Mr. Nnabara removed all his belongings before the demolition bulldozers arrived, it was not the same for others. 67-year-old Sikiru Alimi, who represented Nigeria in boxing at the 1964 Olympics, was given only 24 hours’ notice.

Mr. Alimi spoke through his son, Mutiu and said that no compensation or negotiation was made before the demolition of his house. “We don’t know what to do next. We only have to find somewhere to keep him; maybe a hotel or anywhere he can just relax for now,” the son said of the father. “When the measurement was taken, our property was not a barrier to the project so he did not attend the Alausa meeting. But just yesterday, when the people came for demolition, he was informed that it [the measurement] has been extended and so we are now affected.”

He described the situation as “chaotic and confusing.”