MARCEL MBAMALU
Since early January 2026, Lagos State’s demolition teams have re-oiled their wheels, tearing down homes in Makoko, the historic waterfront settlement beneath the Third Mainland Bridge, displacing thousands of residents.
The government says the operation is necessary to prevent accidents from structures built too close to high-tension power lines. But if safety is the goal, why destroy entire communities without shelter, relocation, or alternatives?
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Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu insists notices were given and that the state acted in the interest of public safety. Yet residents and civil society groups paint a far harsher picture. Homes, shops, and smoke sheds well beyond designated setback areas have been flattened. Families report losing fishing nets, boats, and all means of livelihood.
Children have been pulled out of school, some residents are in critical medical condition, and others are completely homeless, forced to sleep on boats, under flyovers, or in temporary shelters. Rights groups allege that several people, including vulnerable adults and children, have died in connection with the demolitions.
When residents marched peacefully to the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday, demanding compensation and humane relocation, they were met with teargas. At least one protester was injured, and protest leaders now face potential charges. The contradiction is stark: the same government that claims to protect lives is actively harming citizens who are struggling simply to survive. Can this be called progress or protection of rights?
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other rights organisations have condemned the exercise as a forced eviction that violates basic human dignity. Makoko is part of a recurring pattern in Lagos where urban “renewal” repeatedly sacrifices the poor, leaving them destitute with no resettlement, compensation, or meaningful alternatives.
No doubt, when a government pursues development, people will inevitably be affected. But the state’s response to the peaceful protests that followed the Makoko demolition exposes a troubling contradiction: the very government tasked with protecting its citizens seems to be fighting them instead.
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Across Nigeria, protest has increasingly been treated as an abomination by governments, an act to be suppressed rather than a legitimate expression of public anger or a demand for accountability. Lagos State is no exception. Citizens raising their voices after Makoko were met with arrests and force, as if speaking out about suffering has itself become a crime. In silencing the people, the state reveals a deeper failure: governance without empathy, authority without justice, and development at the cost of humanity.
Rather than addressing the plight of displaced residents, Lagos authorities arrested protest leaders and activists, taking them to court for calling for justice, compensation, and humane resettlement. Some protesters were reportedly injured by tear gas as security operatives moved in to disperse the crowd, violating citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful protest.
Detaining and gassing individuals for exercising this right signals a worrying readiness to prioritise enforcement over empathy, treating victims of state policy as offenders rather than people in need of protection. When citizens marching to assert their rights are met with force, the line between protector and oppressor blurs. A government that resorts to arrests and teargas against the very residents it is meant to safeguard undermines its claim to progress and raises a stark question: can development without humanity ever be called development?
long history of forced evictions in Lagos
The Makoko demolition cannot be understood in isolation. For over a decade, Lagos State has repeatedly carried out forced evictions and demolition exercises that displaced low-income communities without effective planning for compensation or relocation. Between 2016 and 2017, the OtodoGbame waterfront was cleared, leaving more than 30,000 residents homeless, despite court orders intended to protect them. During the operation, police and other enforcement agents used teargas and force to disperse residents, some of whom fled into the lagoon and were reported drowned.
Parts of Makoko itself have been razed before, in 2005 and 2012, displacing thousands with little notice or resettlement support. In March 2025, demolition teams entered IlajeOtumara and Baba Ijora, giving residents barely days’ notice before bulldozing homes, churches and businesses, forcing thousands to flee. Other informal settlements, including Oworonshoki, Orisunmibare, Otto and Oko Baba, were also demolished in 2023 and 2024 without meaningful consultation, compensation or relocation, even where court injunctions had been secured. Tear gas was used, and residents were beaten or detained in some cases.
The current wave of demolitions in Makoko, follows this pattern, since more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed, displacing over 10,000 residents, and tear gas and force were deployed against the community. Rights groups allege that at least a dozen people, including infants, have died, though the government has not confirmed the figures. Crucially, since these previous demolitions, no evidence has emerged that displaced families were adequately resettled, compensated, or given access to newly built housing. Many now sleep in boats, under flyovers, or in temporary shelters, with children out of school and livelihoods destroyed.
This history reveals a systemic pattern: communities are repeatedly cleared with minimal warning, scant compensation, and little workable relocation strategy. Courts find some actions unconstitutional, but directives are ignored, and promises of resettlement remain unfulfilled. The result is not just the loss of homes, it is a growing sense among residents that Lagos’ urban policy prioritises compliance over compassion, demolition over dignity, hence, it underscores a broader failure in Lagos State’s approach to urban development.
A city cannot claim progress when its development agenda sacrifices the poor, ignores human dignity, and undermines constitutional rights.
The Lagos State Government’s response to protests in Makoko, including arrests, teargas, and reports of injuries, violates several fundamental provisions of the Nigerian Constitution. Citizens’ right to life under Section 33 is compromised when security forces use excessive force. The right to the dignity of the human person under Section 34 is breached when people are dispersed violently, and their suffering is ignored. The right to personal liberty under Section 35 is undermined through arbitrary arrests. The right to peaceful assembly and association under Section 40 is directly violated by suppressing protests. Freedom of expression under Section 39 is denied when individuals calling for justice, compensation, and humane treatment are silenced.
Lagos must confront these violations and take concrete steps to restore trust and justice. This begins with clear resettlement plans that prioritise the safety and well-being of displaced communities. Residents must receive fair compensation for lost homes and livelihoods, not empty promises or bureaucratic delays. Humane treatment cannot be an afterthought. It must be the foundation of any urban policy.
Beyond immediate remedies, the government must ensure that future urban planning balances development with human rights. Safety, infrastructure, and economic growth cannot come at the cost of constitutional freedoms or the basic dignity of citizens. Treating victims of state policy as offenders is not a sign of efficiency. It is evidence of governance that has lost its moral compass.
Urban renewal without humanity is not progress. It is a policy failure, so Lagos must demonstrate that development can coexist with compassion, that modernisation can protect rather than punish, and that the city’s future will include its most vulnerable citizens rather than erase them. Anything less is a betrayal of the people the state claims to serve.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
