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By Lukman Olabiyi
Several residents of Makoko waterfront and other affected communities in Lagos, including Oworonshoki and Owode Onirin, were injured, while others were arrested on Wednesday during a peaceful protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly against ongoing demolitions and forced evictions.
The protest, organised by residents and supported by a coalition of human rights, environmental and social justice organisations, was aimed at demanding an end to the demolition of waterfront and low-income communities across the state.
Demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as “No Justice, No Peace,” “Makoko Is Not a Slum,” and “Consult the People,” while chanting solidarity songs.
Eyewitnesses said the situation turned violent when officers of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad fired teargas at the protesters as they attempted to gain access to the premises of the House of Assembly.
Several residents reportedly sustained injuries, with bloodstains seen on parts of the road around the complex.
A woman identified as Kafayat Muftaudeen from the Oworonshoki community was said to have been injured by teargas and was receiving treatment at Lagoon Hospital, Ikeja.
A male protester was also reportedly shot in the leg, while others fled the scene for safety.
Journalists covering the protest were not spared, as some had their cameras allegedly seized by security operatives.
As of the time of filing this report, activists, community residents and a member of the #EndBadGovernance Movement in Lagos State, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, were said to have been arrested by the police.
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In a joint statement issued after the protest, the groups accused the Lagos State Government of carrying out demolitions and mass displacements in communities including Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode Onirin, Otumara and Baba-Ijora without adequate notice, consultation, compensation or resettlement plans.
The statement was signed by Israel Idowu, Student Coordinator of the Makoko Waterfront Community; Abiodun Ahmed, Chairman of Owode Motor Spare Parts Market; Tunde Yusuf, Secretary of the Ajegunle Peoples Movement; Olanrewaju Olusegun, Secretary of the Coalition of Oworonshoki Demolition Victims; Betty Abah of CEE-HOPE; Alex Omotehinse of the Centre for Human and Social Economic Rights; Zikora Ibeh of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA); Prince Iwamitighi R. Irowainu of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide; Opeyemi Adamolekun; and Hassan Taiwo Soweto.
The coalition alleged that the demolitions disproportionately affected low-income residents such as fishermen, traders, women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities, accusing the state government of prioritising private development interests over the welfare of vulnerable citizens.
They described the demolitions as part of a long-standing pattern, citing previous exercises in Otodo Gbame (2016–2017), Oworonshoki (2023), Orisunmibare (February 2024), Otto (March 2024) and Oko-Baba (September 2024).
According to the groups, demolitions carried out in Ilaje-Otumara and Baba-Ijora in March 2025 displaced over 10,000 residents, while another round of demolitions in Oworonshoki in October 2025 allegedly took place at night despite a subsisting court injunction, displacing more than 10,000 people.
On Makoko, they said demolitions began on 23 December 2025, affecting more than 3,000 homes and displacing over 10,000 residents, with schools, clinics and places of worship also destroyed. While the Lagos State Government has justified the exercise on safety grounds, particularly the proximity of buildings to power lines, the groups disputed the claim.
The coalition called on the government to immediately halt all demolitions, obey court orders, provide emergency shelter and adequate compensation for affected residents, and develop inclusive resettlement plans in consultation with impacted communities.
Speaking separately, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, described the evictions as “arbitrary and inhumane,” accusing the state government of failing to utilise funds earmarked for the upgrading of Makoko.
With thousands of families rendered homeless, residents warned that continued inaction could lead to further casualties and deepen the humanitarian crisis in the affected communities.
