Residents of Makoko, a waterfront community on the Lagos Lagoon, have protested the demolition of their homes by officials of the Lagos State Government. The residents said the demolition exercise began on December 22, 2025.
According to them, they initially believed the demolition would be limited to buildings within the safety setback from a high-tension power line that runs through the community and across the Third Mainland Bridge. Messou Abayomi, a resident and community stakeholder, said discussions held last year between community leaders and government officials agreed that only structures within a defined setback would be affected.
Abayomi explained that the agreed setback distance was adjusted several times, from 30 metres to 50 metres, and later to 100 metres from the power line. He said a renewed demolition exercise carried out on January 4 and 5 went beyond the agreed 100-metre limit.
He alleged that demolitions extended as far as 200 metres from the power line, despite markers indicating the agreed boundary. Abayomi said houses were demolished without notice and that the exercise was still ongoing.
Another resident, Micheline Sunnuvun, said her home was demolished without prior warning. She said her belongings, including food items, were destroyed during the exercise and that she has been left without shelter.
Wusu John, a fisherman who said he has lived in Makoko for over 30 years, also said his home was demolished despite assurances that it was not within the agreed setback. He alleged that security operatives accompanying the demolition team fired teargas at residents.
During a visit to the community, some displaced residents were seen sleeping in boats alongside their salvaged belongings.
Reacting to the situation, Gbolahan Oki, permanent secretary in the Lagos Urban Development Office, said the demolitions were carried out in the interest of public safety, adding that the state could be held responsible if a power line were to fall into the water.
Demolition exercises have occurred repeatedly in Makoko over the years, with residents facing ongoing threats of eviction under successive state administrations.
On Thursday, some residents protested at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Ikeja, calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene and halt the demolitions. Protesters carried placards with messages such as “Save Makoko Community,” “Shelter Is Our Right,” and “100-metre is 100-metre.”
