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A mass demolition in Ivory Coast’s economic capital, Abidjan, has left thousands of residents displaced, with questions emerging over who authorised the operation.
One of the victims, 46-year-old construction worker Souleymane Zebe, was on the verge of tears as he recounted how bulldozers arrived at dawn and razed his entire neighbourhood.
“The bulldozers arrived at dawn and razed my entire neighbourhood,” Zebe told AFP, describing the destruction of the Campement area near the city centre. He said families had built their homes legally through years of sacrifice and hard work.
The Ivorian government has in recent years carried out an urban clean-up campaign in Abidjan, targeting illegal settlements in the name of public safety and flood prevention. However, authorities say the latest demolition was not part of that official programme.
According to officials, the operation was allegedly ordered by a private individual with no legal authority, who reportedly used a falsified court document before disappearing.
Zebe described the circumstances surrounding the demolition as “outrageous,” adding: “Who could destroy our houses and separate us from our families like this?”
Authorities said the Koumassi Camp area was not scheduled for demolition and insisted the order did not come from the state.
They said a man identified as Jacques Alloui Brou claimed responsibility in a Facebook video, alleging he had a court ruling authorising the demolition. However, Abidjan public prosecutor Oumar Braman Kone said the document “did not authorise the demolition of any building” and ordered Brou’s arrest. He has since gone missing.
Many residents have been left homeless, with some sleeping in tents or makeshift shelters, while others have taken refuge in a nearby school. Others say they are living amid debris, rainwater, and raw sewage.
“It hurts. We’ve been left homeless,” Zebe said. “I have nothing left. Even the clothes on my back are donations.”
A pregnant resident, 29-year-old Assana Traore, said she was shocked by the sudden destruction. “You’re born and raised here. Then one day they come and destroy everything with no warning,” she said.
Truck driver Issa, another resident, described the demolition as devastating.
“It was brutal. They razed the whole thing in a day,” he said.
He added: “I have nothing left.”
Abidjan’s population has roughly doubled since the late 1990s, reaching an estimated six to seven million people, driven by rapid urban expansion and the growth of informal settlements.
Authorities say their “urban order” campaign, launched in 2023, aims to reduce the risks of flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas, though they deny any involvement in the demolition of the Koumassi Camp.
Following the incident, Abidjan’s public prosecutor launched an investigation and ordered the arrest of the man who allegedly presented the fake court document.
The National Human Rights Council has expressed “deep concern” over the impact of the demolitions.
Opposition figure Charles Blé Goudé, leader of COJEP, questioned the official account, asking: “Who sent in law enforcement? Who gave the orders?”
His party has vowed to pursue legal action for damages on behalf of affected residents.
