LAGOS, Nigeria
Residents of the historic Makoko waterfront community, particularly in the Ilaje Aiyetoro area of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), are facing a growing humanitarian crisis after state authorities demolished homes in what locals describe as a forced eviction and displacement exercise.
The demolition, which resumed in early January, left thousands without shelter, prompting many families to adopt makeshift living arrangements on the Lagos Lagoon. Pictures and eyewitness accounts from residents show canoes tied together and used as floating shelters, with children and entire families forced to sleep on water after their houses were pulled down.
“I don’t know where to go from here,” said a Makoko resident who lost her home in the exercise. “We are human beings and should be treated as such.”
Residents Report Sudden Demolition Without Notice
Residents and community leaders say they were not given adequate notice before the demolition began. Many were informed previously that only structures within 30 metres of high‑tension power lines would be removed for safety reasons — an assurance that guided initial compliance in December 2025.
However, residents claim the demolition extended well beyond the agreed setback, destroying homes deep within the community. Attempts by local leaders to engage officials at the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development were unsuccessful as the demolition continued.
Civil Society Groups Condemn Forced Evictions
Coalitions of civil society organisations, including the Justice & Empowerment Initiative and the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, have condemned the demolitions as violations of both Nigerian and international law, saying they breach existing court orders and fail to provide resettlement or compensation for residents.
In a joint statement, the groups described the evictions as heartless and unlawful, highlighting that the operation occurred amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic hardship and during a period of festivity when many were unprepared.
They warned that, if unchecked, the eviction could escalate into a full‑blown humanitarian crisis, affecting tens of thousands of people who rely on fishing and informal trading for survival.
Families Now Shelter on Water, Children Exposed to Risk
On the lagoon, families now sleep precariously on clustered boats, using wooden planks as floors. Children assist adults in stabilising canoes, a dangerous task that exposes them to polluted water and health risks.
“There is no safety,” said one displaced fisherman. “If you turn in your sleep, you can fall into the lagoon.”
Local parents also voiced concern about disrupted schooling, lack of food and basic services, and rising insecurity among vulnerable populations, especially children and the elderly.
Government Yet to Respond to Allegations
Efforts by journalists to obtain comment from the Lagos State Government have so far been met with silence or incomplete responses. A request for official reaction from the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, was not fulfilled before deadlines on various reports.
Also Read: Flooding in Nigeria: Why Warnings Fail to Move Residents Despite Rising Dangers
While authorities have defended past waterfront demolition moves as necessary for urban renewal, environmental safety, and regulatory compliance, rights groups argue that these goals must not come at the expense of human dignity and lawful process.
