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”.

The post Makoko Residents Protest Demolition, Accuse Lagos Government of Violating Setback Agreement appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Civil society organisations (CSOs) and residents of Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro communities have criticised the Lagos State Government over what they describe as unlawful and forceful evictions that threaten to displace tens of thousands of people without resettlement or compensation.

The groups, operating under the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation and Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI), accused the state government of breaching court orders, Nigerian laws, and international human rights standards through the ongoing demolition exercise.

In a joint statement signed by Megan Chapman of Justice & Empowerment Initiatives, alongside Jude Ojo, Bisola Akinmuyiwa, and Kunnu Paul of the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, the organisations said the demolitions began just two days before Christmas as part of a planned clearance around high-tension powerlines running through the waterfront settlements and the Third Mainland Bridge corridor.

According to the statement, residents initially cooperated with the exercise after government officials assured community leaders that the demolition would be limited to a legally recognised 30-metre setback from the powerlines, as stipulated under Lagos State Building Control Regulations. There were also assurances that affected households would receive some form of compensation.

The first phase of demolition reportedly continued until January 3, 2026, excluding Christmas Day, displacing thousands of residents. Many families were forced to crowd into neighbouring homes or sleep in open canoes due to the sudden loss of shelter.

However, tensions escalated on January 4, 2026, when residents alleged that demolition equipment, including amphibious excavators, moved beyond the agreed 30-metre setback and began destroying homes deeper within the communities.

Community members staged protests between January 4 and 5, but were allegedly met with force by police officers attached to the demolition team. Witnesses claimed tear gas was deployed across the settlements, while some structures were set ablaze during the confrontation.

Amid the unrest, community leaders reportedly met officials at the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in Alausa, where they were informed that the clearance would extend to an additional setback of up to 100 metres or more—an action residents say has no legal backing and contradicts earlier assurances.

“As of January 9, 2026, demolitions had already gone beyond 100 metres and were still ongoing,” Chapman said, warning that while thousands have already been displaced, tens of thousands more remain at risk.

The CSOs referenced a house-numbering exercise conducted in 2020–2021 by Makoko youth groups, with support from JEI and the Federation, which estimated the population of Makoko’s four villages at over 80,000 people. The figure excludes neighbouring communities such as Oko Agbon and Sogunro, which also face potential displacement.

The organisations warned that the continued demolitions could trigger a major humanitarian crisis if urgent intervention is not taken. They called on the Lagos State Government to immediately halt further demolitions, respect court rulings, and engage affected communities through inclusive urban planning and resettlement solutions.

The post CSOs, Makoko Residents Condemn Lagos Over Alleged Forced Evictions appeared first on Housing TV Africa.