Makoko Demolition: Residents Protest, Demand End to Evictions

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

Protests over the ongoing demolition of waterfront settlements in Makoko, Lagos, escalated yesterday as community leaders and displaced residents took their grievances to major public spaces, demanding an immediate halt to what they describe as unlawful and inhumane evictions.

Marching through Underbridge, Ikeja, and the Lagos State House of Assembly, the protesters condemned the destruction of homes across several waterfront communities, including Owode Onirin, Tomoro, Ayetoro, Oko Agbon, Okobaba and Oworonshoki. They said the demolitions have rendered hundreds of families homeless, forcing many to sleep in canoes, under bridges and in open spaces.

Tension flared during the demonstration when police fired tear gas, leaving at least one woman injured. An activist, Hassan Taiwo-Soweto, was also arrested by the police.

The protesters vowed to sustain the demonstrations until their demands are met. These include the suspension of demolitions, provision of relief materials, compensation for affected residents and the adoption of humane resettlement policies.

Protesting in their hundreds under police escort, the demonstrators sang, chanted and displayed placards calling for an end to forced evictions and affirming housing as a fundamental human right.

Placards carried messages such as: “Makoko Lives Matter”, “Demolition without resettlement is injustice”, “Urban renewal, not urban removal”, “Homes not rubble”, “Where do you want the poor to go?”, “Lagos is for all, not the rich alone”, “Respect court orders”, and “Development without displacement”.

Residents accused the state government of carrying out the demolitions without adequate notice, compensation or resettlement plans, a claim authorities have previously disputed.

The Lagos State Government has maintained that Makoko is an environmental and security-risk settlement, citing its vulnerability to flooding and fire outbreaks. The government said the demolitions are part of plans to regenerate the area and enforce planning regulations, insisting it has a duty to protect lives.

During the protest, residents displayed photographs of demolished homes and displaced families, including images of children and elderly persons, as they appealed to the government to stop further demolitions and open dialogue with affected communities.

They also urged the authorities to prioritise upgrading the settlements through inclusive urban planning rather than dismantling them.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has repeatedly insisted that the demolition exercise does not affect the entire Makoko community. According to him, evacuation notices were issued more than two years ago to residents living within 150 to 250 metres of high-tension power lines.

He said the government’s actions were guided by the collective interest of Lagos State and its residents, not by any ulterior motive.

“We are not demolishing the whole of Makoko. We are clearing the shanties so they do not get to the Third Mainland Bridge and stay behind the high tension,” the governor explained.