Lagos’ Forced Evictions Threaten Thousands – A Community’s Struggle for Survival

By: Abudu Olalekan

Lagos waterfront eviction puts over 100,000 residents at risk as demolitions in Makoko continue despite court orders and broken government promises

Something terrible is happening in Lagos. And it’s happening fast.

Residents of Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro communities are watching their homes crumble before their eyes. The Lagos State Government started what they called a “controlled demolition” exercise. But things have spiraled. What began as a 30-metre clearance has now become something much bigger, much scarier, and honestly, much more questionable.

Civil society groups and community members are crying out. They say this Lagos waterfront eviction violates existing court orders. They say it breaks Nigerian law. International law too. But the swamp buggies keep moving.

Let me take you back a bit.

Two days before Christmas, December 23, 2025, the demolition kicked off. The government said they needed to clear structures within 30 metres of the high-tension powerline running between these waterfront communities and Third Mainland Bridge. Fair enough, the residents thought. Building regulations actually support this. Community leaders even got assurances that affected persons would receive some compensation. So the people cooperated. They moved. They watched their homes fall.

The exercise continued till January 3, 2026. It only paused on Christmas Day itself. Thousands lost their shelters. Some squeezed into relatives’ cramped spaces. Others had no choice but to sleep in open canoes. On water. In December.

But here’s where it gets really messy.

On January 4, the excavators turned. Suddenly, they started destroying buildings way beyond that 30-metre mark. The government had changed its mind. Now they wanted 100 metres. Maybe more. Nobody really knows for sure. When community leaders rushed to the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, officials told them the goalposts had shifted. Just like that.

The residents protested. Who wouldn’t? But on January 5, police officers protecting the demolition squad responded with force. There was teargas everywhere. Houses were set on fire. People ran. Children cried. It was chaos.

“As of January 9, the demolition has passed 100 metres and is still going,” a joint statement from several organisations revealed. These groups include Justice & Empowerment Initiatives, Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, CEE-HOPE, Lagos Urban Development Initiative, and Global Rights.

According to data from community surveys conducted between 2020 and 2021, Makoko’s four villages alone housed over 80,000 people. Add Oko Agbon and Sogunro, and you’re looking at tens of thousands more. The organisations estimate that if this eviction isn’t stopped urgently, more than 100,000 people could be affected.

This isn’t just about buildings. Makoko is history. It’s culture. It’s identity. For over a century, this community has stood as a Lagos icon. Tourists visit from around the world to witness its unique floating architecture. The smoked fish from Makoko feeds much of Lagos. Now, all of that is under threat.

The timing makes everything worse. This is happening during the festive season. Nigeria is also facing its worst economic crisis in decades. Families are being torn apart. Parents are scattering their children across different locations while searching for work. Kids cannot go to school. Health is deteriorating, both physical and mental. Some residents are sleeping outdoors, exposed to mosquitoes, weather, and even sexual assault.

But here’s the part that really stings.

While ancestral homes are being destroyed and poor residents are forced into canoes, something else is happening nearby. Between the high-tension powerline and Third Mainland Bridge, sandfilling is underway for a luxury estate development by FBT Coral Estate Limited. The groups say this exposes a disturbing pattern, government working hand-in-hand with wealthy developers while trampling on the rights of ordinary Nigerians.

This isn’t an isolated incident either. Since July 2023, Lagos has witnessed what observers describe as the worst series of mass evictions since the military era. Communities in Oworonshoki, Orisunmibare, Otto, Oko Baba, Ilaje Otumara, Baba Ijora, and others have all faced similar fates. Hundreds of thousands displaced. Court orders ignored. Promises broken.

The coalition of CSOs has demanded that the Lagos and Federal governments immediately halt these demolitions.

“Lagos is about to lose an icon that cannot be rebuilt,” they warned.

More importantly, tens of thousands more Nigerians could be pushed into homelessness. Right in the heart of what we proudly call the “Centre of Excellence.”

Something has to give. And soon.