By Chioma Obinna

A coalition of national and international human rights, environmental and social justice organisations has accused the Lagos State Government of carrying out systemic, illegal and violent forced evictions, describing the ongoing demolitions in Makoko and other waterfront communities as cruel, deceitful and driven by land grabs for elite interests.

They stated this in a press statement entitled: “Systemic, Illegal, Cruel and Deceitful Forced Evictions: A Demand for Justice, Accountability and Resettlement for Makoko and Other Affected Communities” and jointly signed by the leaders of affected communities and organisations, including Israel Idowu of Makoko, Betty Abah of CEEHOPE, Comrade Alex Omotehinse of CHSR, and other social justice advocates.

The groups said the actions of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration represent a deliberate pattern of state-enabled violence against the urban poor, warning that Lagos is replacing urban renewal with what they termed “state-created homelessness.”

“What is unfolding in Makoko, Oworonshoki, Ilaje-Otumara, Baba-Ijora and other communities is not development. It is organised violence against the poor, carried out with bulldozers, armed security and fire,” the organisations said.

According to the coalition, demolitions in Makoko, a historic waterfront settlement of more than 100,000 residents, began on December 23, 2025, resulting in the destruction of over 3,000 homes and the displacement of more than 10,000 people.

They alleged that armed security operatives and demolition teams repeatedly invaded the community, setting houses ablaze and firing tear gas at residents, including women, children and the elderly.

“Homes were set on fire with little or no notice, in some cases while residents were still inside,” the statement said.

The groups claimed that at least 12 people, including two infants, have died, naming 70-year-old Albertine Ojadikluno and five-day-old Epiphany Kpenassou Adingban among the victims.

Schools, clinics and places of worship were also destroyed, forcing displaced residents to seek shelter in boats, canoes, churches, school buildings and open spaces, exposing them to serious health and safety risks.

The organisations accused the Lagos State Government of persistent disregard for court orders, noting that in August 2025, Justice F.N. Ogazi of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, restrained the state and its agencies from demolishing waterfront communities, including Makoko.

The court also awarded ₦3 million in damages against the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force for earlier demolitions and the unlawful killing of a community leader. The coalition said the judgment remains unpaid.

Similarly, they alleged that in October 2025, an interim injunction obtained by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) stopping demolitions in Oworonshoki was ignored, as hundreds of homes were demolished at night.

“Bulldozers moved in while people were asleep. Tear gas was fired and residents who resisted were beaten and arrested,” the statement alleged.

The coalition said the demolitions are part of a long-standing pattern, recalling the Otodo Gbame evictions of 2016–2017, which displaced over 30,000 residents in defiance of court orders.

They also cited demolitions in Oworonshoki (2023), Orisunmibare (February 2024), Otto (March 2024) and Oko Baba (September 2024), as well as Ilaje-Otumara and Baba-Ijora, where over 10,000 people were rendered homeless in March 2025.

“Families fled with nothing. Homes, markets, fishing areas and places of worship were destroyed, wiping out livelihoods and worsening food insecurity,” the groups said.

While the Lagos State Government has justified the demolitions on environmental and safety grounds, the coalition described the claims as hypocritical, arguing that demolitions extended far beyond legally required safety setbacks.

“Even where power-line setbacks were cited, homes up to 500 metres away were demolished, far beyond what the law permits,” the statement said.

The organisations accused the government of using decades of neglect — including failure to provide sanitation, water, healthcare and schools — as justification for forced evictions.

The groups rejected Governor Sanwo-Olu’s promise of palliatives for affected residents, insisting that relief materials cannot replace lost homes and livelihoods.

“The people of Makoko and other affected communities are not beggars. They do not need handouts; they need their homes, schools, clinics and livelihoods restored,” the statement said.

The coalition called for an immediate halt to all demolitions and compliance with court orders; emergency shelter for displaced families; access to education and healthcare for affected children and residents.

They also demanded full compensation for demolished homes, schools and livelihoods; redress for victims of brutality and families who lost loved ones; a transparent, inclusive resettlement plan developed with affected communities; and a public apology and accountability from the Lagos State Government.

“Lagos cannot claim global-city status while treating its poorest residents as disposable,” the organisations warned.

They said failure to provide justice, compensation and resettlement would remain “a permanent stain on the conscience and governance record of Lagos State.”