By: Fawaz Adebisi
On a Wednesday morning in Yaba, Lagos, court officials and unidentified men stormed Magnificient Therapy Services and threw 32 disabled children into the street, wheelchairs, therapy equipment, and all.
Eight-year-old Chinedu, who has cerebral palsy, was among them. He needs daily movement therapy just to walk, but that morning, he got chaos instead.
Neighbours watched in horror as furniture was dragged outside. Children who cannot speak for themselves sat exposed outdoors, confused and frightened, while caregivers wept and scrambled to comfort them.
All because of a rent dispute.
The centre had occupied the building for 16 years as it was born in 2010 from a tiny two-bedroom apartment and two children.
By May 2026, it had grown into a lifeline, 32 children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and dyslexia, supported by 23 dedicated staff.
Co-founder Bidemi Jaiyesimi was devastated.
“This is not just a building we lost. We lost a safe space for children who depend on routine, care, and stability to survive each day,” he said, his voice breaking.
He insists they were not defying the order. They had received a six-month notice and were desperately fundraising to relocate. They just needed more time.
“We were not refusing to move. We were trying to survive the process without abandoning the children.”
After the eviction, parents rushed to the scene in panic, grabbing their children and fleeing. But the orphans, children with nobody to call, were bundled into a nearby uncompleted building while some neighbours opened their doors.
As gathered, the centre runs largely on donations. Some parents pay between N80,000 and N100,000 every three months, a stretch for many families already battling Nigeria’s economic hardship.
Experts warn the damage may run deeper than homelessness. For children with developmental disabilities, sudden disruption to routine can trigger long-term psychological and developmental setbacks.
“All we need now is urgent intervention from the government and well-meaning individuals,” Jaiyesimi begged.
