Residents of Makoko, a densely populated waterfront community along the Lagos Lagoon, have taken to the streets to protest the demolition of their homes, accusing the Lagos State Government of violating an earlier agreement on safety setbacks around a high-tension power line.
The protest followed weeks of demolition activities that residents said began on December 22, 2025, and escalated sharply in early January 2026.
According to community members, the initial understanding with state officials was that only structures within a designated safety setback from the power line would be affected. The power line runs through Makoko and beneath sections of the Third Mainland Bridge, a critical transport corridor in Lagos.
Residents, however, allege that the demolition has gone far beyond the agreed limits, leaving hundreds displaced.
‘They went beyond the agreed 100 metres’
Messou Abayomi, a community stakeholder, said discussions held with Lagos government officials last year resulted in a phased agreement on safety boundaries.
He explained that the setback was first fixed at 30 metres, later reviewed to 50 metres, before a final agreement on a 100-metre safety setback was reached.
“They have now gone beyond the 100-metre setback. Some demolitions are reaching close to 200 metres. That was never our agreement,” Abayomi said.
“They came with caterpillars and started demolishing houses without notice. As we speak, the demolition is still ongoing.”
Residents displayed markers and flag masts they said were used to indicate the 100-metre boundary, insisting that demolition crews ignored these indicators.
Residents recount sudden displacement
Several affected residents said they received no prior notice before their homes were pulled down.
Micheline Sunnuvun, a woman in her sixties, said her home was demolished last Friday without warning, destroying her belongings and livelihood.
“I have been sleeping outside by the shore since the demolition. At night, I cover myself with clothes. Everything I depended on for survival was destroyed,” she said in Yoruba.
Another resident, Wusu John, a fisherman who has lived in Makoko for over 30 years, said he relocated from Kweme in Badagry decades ago to continue his trade.
“They told us our houses would not be touched if they were outside the setback. Now my house is gone. I don’t have anywhere to go,” he said.
John also alleged that security operatives accompanying demolition officials fired teargas to disperse residents who resisted the exercise.
Humanitarian concerns mount
When reporters visited Makoko, several residents were seen sleeping in boats, while others cooked meals beside the remains of their demolished homes. Families were observed paddling away with salvaged furniture and household items loaded into canoes.
Children, women, and the elderly were among those displaced, heightening concerns over humanitarian and environmental risks within the lagoon settlement.
Despite the ongoing demolition, economic activities such as boat making and local food processing continued in some parts of the community, underscoring residents’ dependence on the waterfront for survival.
Lagos government defends action
Reacting to the controversy, Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Urban Development Office, defended the government’s action, stating that the demolition was carried out in the interest of public safety.
Oki said the state would be held accountable if a high-tension power line collapsed into the lagoon, posing a threat to lives and infrastructure.
Demolition exercises are not new in Makoko, which has faced repeated threats of eviction over the years. Successive administrations in Lagos State have attempted to clear the settlement, citing environmental, safety, and urban planning concerns.
Protest at Lagos Assembly
On Thursday, the dispute escalated as Makoko residents stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly complex in Ikeja, demanding an immediate halt to the demolition.
The protesters appealed directly to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging him to intervene and protect the community from what they described as forced displacement.
Placards carried by demonstrators read:
“Save Makoko Community”,
“Shelter Is Our Right”, and
“100 Metres Is 100 Metres”.
