- Residents protest Lagos demolitions, demand compensation and humane resettlement.
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Makoko, Owode Onirin, Oworonshoki communities face eviction without proper planning.
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Demonstrators vow sustained protests until government responds to their demands.
Community leaders and displaced residents staged a protest on Wednesday at the Ikeja Under-Bridge area of Lagos, condemning ongoing demolitions and alleged forced evictions in waterfront and low-income neighbourhoods across the state.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the demonstrators accused the Lagos State Government of carrying out demolitions in areas such as Makoko, Owode Onirin, and Oworonshoki without proper notice, compensation, or resettlement plans for affected residents.
Protesters occupied strategic sections of the Ikeja under-bridge, temporarily disrupting traffic and drawing the attention of commuters along the busy corridor. They carried placards with messages including “Stop Forced Evictions Now,” “Makoko Lives Matter,” “Demolition Without Resettlement Is Injustice,” “Urban Renewal, Not Urban Removal,” “Homes Not Rubble,” and “Housing Is a Human Right.” Other slogans read, “Where Do You Want the Poor to Go?” “Lagos Is for All, Not the Rich Alone,” “Respect Court Orders,” and “Development Without Displacement.”
Some protesters displayed photographs of demolished homes and displaced families, while others held images of children and elderly persons reportedly affected by the demolitions. Chanting solidarity slogans such as “No Justice, No Peace,” “Makoko Is Not a Slum,” and “Consult the People,” the crowd urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to halt further demolitions and engage residents in dialogue.
Activists told journalists that the demolitions are inhumane and, in some cases, violate existing court orders restraining forced evictions in certain waterfront communities. They alleged that many residents were rendered homeless overnight, with some families forced to sleep in canoes, under bridges, and in open spaces following the destruction of their homes.
According to the protesters, communities such as Makoko, Owode Onirin, and Oworonshoki have existed for decades and should be upgraded through inclusive urban renewal and proper planning, rather than demolished.
The demonstrators demanded an immediate suspension of demolitions, provision of relief materials, compensation for affected residents, and the adoption of humane resettlement policies. They vowed to sustain their protests until the government addresses their concerns.
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