By Ghazali Ibrahim
A growing wave of protests has erupted in Lagos State, driven by residents and activists opposed to the government’s ongoing demolition of homes in Makoko and other low-income waterfront communities. Demonstrators say the demolitions are happening without adequate notice, compensation or plans for resettlement, and have called on state authorities to halt the exercise immediately.
On Wednesday, displaced community members, supported by civil society groups and traders, marched from the Ikeja Under Bridge, holding placards with messages such as “Stop Forced Evictions Now,” “Makoko Lives Matter,” and “Development Without Displacement.
The protest temporarily disrupted traffic and drew attention to growing anger over the demolition exercises, which also affect areas like Owode Onirin and Oworonshoki.
Protesters accused the state government of exceeding previously agreed demolition limits around high-tension power lines originally communicated as a safety setback and of uprooting families without alternative housing or compensation. Many families say they are now homeless, with some forced to sleep in canoes, under bridges, or in public spaces after their homes were destroyed.
“The government should not destroy our homes without providing anywhere for us to go,” one protester told journalists at the scene, describing the demolitions as inhumane. Demonstrators vowed to sustain the protests until their demands are addressed.
Critics, including community leaders and rights activists, have also highlighted broader concerns about urban renewal efforts displacing vulnerable Nigerians to make way for elite real estate developments and commercial projects. One coalition of protesters accused Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of prioritising the interests of wealthy investors over the rights of ordinary Lagos residents, with slogans such as “Lagos Is Not For the Rich Alone.”
Earlier demonstrations started at Under the bridge at Ikeja, where residents demanded that the demolition be limited to agreed safety setbacks and appealed for protection of homes and livelihoods.
The state government has maintained that the demolition exercise is aimed at ensuring public safety, particularly around infrastructure such as high-tension power lines and the Third Mainland Bridge but protesters remain unconvinced that their welfare has been prioritized.
As protests continue, Makoko and other affected communities are increasingly becoming flashpoints in the debate over urban planning, safety regulations, human rights and inclusive development in Africa’s most populous city.
