Residents of informal settlements and civil society organisations (CSOs) have decried the Lagos State Government’s ongoing mass forced eviction that threatens tens of thousands of people of Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro communities with displacement without any form of resettlement, a move observers say violates subsisting court orders and Nigerian and international law.
Two days before Christmas on December 23, 2025, a first phase of demolition began to clear a 30-metre setback from the high-tension powerline that passes between the waterfront communities and the Third Mainland Bridge. The community cooperated with this exercise, understanding that the Building Control Regulations of Lagos State prescribe a maximum setback of 30-metres from the highest voltage powerline – and with assurances from community leaders that the Lagos State Government would provide some form of compensation for those affected.
This first phase continued until January 3, 2026, stopping only on Christmas Day itself, displacing thousands and leaving them with no option than crowding into other people’s homes or sleeping in open canoes.
The communities’ resolve to cooperate with the demolition was reportedly based on assurances from the government that this would be a protection for the rest of the community. Thus, the communities were shocked on January 4, 2026, when suddenly the swamp buggies (or amphibious excavators) turned and began destroying buildings further into the community, pushing far beyond the 30-metre setback prescribed by the law.
Community members rose up in protest from January 4 to 5, 2026, but were met on January 5, 2026, by a violent show of force by the police officers protecting the demolition squad. Massive amounts of teargas were reportedly released across the community and houses were set ablaze. While this was ongoing, community leaders rushed to Alausa to meet with officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and were told that the Government would now be clearing an additional setback – threatening up to 100 metres or more – despite the fact that, according to the CSOs, such a large setback is nowhere provided for in the law and reverses prior assurances.
“As of January 9, 2025, the demolition has started to pass 100 metres’ setback and is still ongoing,” the groups, comprising the Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI), Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, Centre for Children’s Health, Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI) and Global Rights, submitted in a statement.
They added: “The ongoing demolition has already displaced thousands and tens of thousands are at risk. House numbering conducted by Makoko community youth with support from the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation and Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI) in 2020-2021 put the entire population of the four villages of Makoko over 80,000, with tens of thousands more in the neighboring villages of Oko Agbon and Sogunro. With the uncertainty of the threat and knowing that the Lagos State Government has already broken prior promises made to the people of Makoko, the numbers affected may even pass one hundred thousand – if not urgently stopped.
“Makoko and its neighboring communities are more than just a home. Dating back over 100 years, Makoko has become a Lagos icon where people from across the world come to appreciate the culture, unique architecture and community life. Fish smoked in Makoko feeds much of Lagos.
“This forced eviction is as heartless as any – taking place during the festive period and the worst economic crisis Nigeria has seen in decades – and its impacts on residents are the same as in all the forced evictions that have taken place across Lagos and Nigeria from the recent to the distant past. Ordinary citizens are left without shelter to guard their belongings and their bodies against looting, sexual assault, weather and mosquitos.
“Many will not find new shelter for months or years. Families are separated, forced to place their children in different places while the parents seek work. Children have no means to continue their schooling. Mental and physical health suffers.
“The ongoing forced eviction is part of the worst series of mass forced evictions witnessed since the military era, with hundreds of thousands evicted across Lagos communities since July 2023, starting with the forced eviction of Oworonshoki communities, and continuing with the demolition of Orisunmibare in February 2024, Otto communities in March 2024, and Oko Baba and parts of Aiyetoro communities in September 2024, the tragic demolition of Ilaje Otumara, Baba Ijora and neighboring areas in March 2025, and massive evictions in Oworonshoki from September – December 2025, displacing nearly the entire waterfront and communities further inland.
“These demolitions have taken place in violation of subsisting court orders and despite reneging on prior engagement between several communities, including Otumara and Makoko, and the Lagos State Government about partnership toward holistic planning and community-led regeneration.
As ancestral communities and the homes of the less privileged are razed at Makoko, leaving residents to live in wooden canoes, sandfilling for luxury real estate development by a private developer, FBT Coral Estate Limited, is ongoing between the high-tension powerline and Third Mainland Bridge – evidencing the continued collusion of the government with an oligarchy of powerful land-owning families and corrupt private developers around the State – and the continued trend of total disregard for rule of law and persistent violation of court orders.
“We condemn the ongoing forced eviction in no uncertain terms; and we call on the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government that stands behind to immediately halt the demolitions ongoing at Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro before Lagos loses an icon that cannot be rebuilt, and tens of thousands more join the ranks of people forced by their elected leaders into homelessness and desperate poverty in the heart of the ‘Centre of Excellence’.”