The Lagos State Government has swiftly halted the construction of a proposed cemetery in Surulere’s Natufe/Animashaun community after residents staged protests. The community raised concerns about the environmental and health impacts of locating the burial ground near homes, a church, and a school. Despite heavy rainfall, residents held a peaceful demonstration, warning that the cemetery could contaminate their borehole water and pose a public‑health risk. They accused developer Olumide Amure of ignoring earlier objections and resuming work without regard for their safety, carrying placards that read “No Cemetery in Our Community.”
In response, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso announced that the site had been sealed and that no burial project would proceed there. “The burial ground site has been sealed, and no such project will be developed there. The people need not worry,” he said.
Community leaders noted that this was not the first attempt to establish a cemetery in the area. Mrs. Omolabake Braimoh, chairperson of the Natufe/Animashaun Community Development Association, explained that residents had opposed a similar proposal two years earlier. “The developer tried it before, and we opposed it. Now he has resumed work, building day and night. We are not using pipe‑borne water; our boreholes are our only source, and this project will contaminate it,” she said.
The community has submitted petitions to the Coker‑Aguda Local Council Development Area and plans to send additional letters to state agencies to ensure the project remains halted. Former CDA chairman Mr. Olanrewaju Olaniyan warned that constructing a cemetery in the densely populated residential zone could cause serious health hazards, including groundwater pollution. Government officials confirmed that the site will stay sealed pending further investigation, reiterating that no cemetery will be allowed within the residential area. The developer, Olumide Amure, had not responded to requests for comment at the time of this report. The decision to seal the site underscores the importance of addressing community concerns and prioritizing public health and safety in development projects.
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