BREAKING: LAGOS RESIDENTS TAKE TO STREETS FOLLOWING MAKOKO DEMOLITION
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Community leaders and displaced residents staged a protest on Wednesday at the Ikeja Under-Bridge area of Lagos, expressing opposition to ongoing demolitions and alleged forced evictions in waterfront and low-income neighbourhoods, including Makoko, Owode Onirin, and Oworonshoki.
The demonstrators accused the Lagos State Government of carrying out demolitions without adequate notice, compensation, or resettlement plans for affected residents. The protesters occupying key sections of the under-bridge, drawing the attention of commuters and motorists along the busy Ikeja corridor.
Protesters carried banners and placards with messages such as “Stop Forced Evictions Now,” “Makoko Lives Matter,” “Demolition Without Resettlement Is Injustice,” “Urban Renewal, Not Urban Removal,” “Homes Not Rubble,” and “Housing Is a Human Right.” Other signs read “Where Do You Want the Poor to Go?” “Lagos Is for All, Not the Rich Alone,” “Respect Court Orders,” and “Development Without Displacement.” Some participants displayed photographs of demolished homes and displaced families, while others highlighted images of children and elderly residents affected by the demolitions.
Chanting slogans and solidarity songs, the protesters called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to halt further demolitions and engage affected communities in meaningful dialogue. Popular chants included “No Justice, No Peace,” “Makoko Is Not a Slum,” and “Consult the People.”
Speaking to journalists, some activists described the demolitions as inhumane and contrary to court rulings that restrict forced evictions in waterfront communities. They alleged that many families were rendered homeless overnight, with some forced to sleep in canoes, under bridges, or in open spaces following the destruction of their homes.
According to the protesters, communities such as Makoko, Owode Onirin, and Oworonshoki have existed for decades and should be upgraded through proper urban planning rather than demolished. They vowed to continue the demonstrations until the government addresses their demands, including suspending demolitions, providing relief materials, offering compensation, and implementing humane resettlement policies for affected residents.
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