Evictions in Petit Bassam (Toviato): 'They broke my house, I don't even have a life anymore'

On June 8 and 9, 2026, families in Toviato (Petit Bassam) in the commune of Port-Bouët saw their homes and businesses destroyed by bulldozers without official notice or compensation. According to residents like Mr. Yattara Ibrahim and Dao Adjara Yasmin, no authority explained the operation, although rumors had circulated two or three years ago about possible demolition due to insalubrity or flood risk. Residents dispute this argument, stating that the neighborhood has never experienced major flooding since 1960 and that it hosts a clinic and two primary schools. Distress is palpable, with women crying and children wandering through the rubble.