Civil society organisations have strongly condemned the Lagos State Government over ongoing demolitions in the Makoko waterfront community, alleging deaths, mass displacement, and the arrest of a community youth leader.
These CSOs are the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE) Nigeria, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the groups described the demolitions as a “brutal and unconstitutional exercise” that has reportedly led to the death of two babies and an adult, the destruction of thousands of homes, and the displacement of over 10,000 residents.
They accused the state government of exhibiting a pattern of disregard for the rights to life, housing, and dignity of marginalised communities, particularly waterfront residents who, according to them, have endured years of neglect.
The organisations also raised concerns over the arrest of a Makoko youth leader, Mr. Oluwatobi Aide, popularly known as Woli.
According to the statement, Aide was arrested on Monday, January 12, 2026, after appealing to demolition officials to grant residents time to retrieve their belongings when the exercise allegedly extended beyond the initially announced demolition corridor.
Aide was reportedly first taken to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) office in Alausa before being transferred to Area F Police Station in Ikeja. The groups said his health has deteriorated in detention, having earlier been tear-gassed during the demolitions and hospitalised.
Condemning the exercise, Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, described the demolitions as “violent attacks on vulnerable populations,” accusing the state of treating waterfront residents as expendable in pursuit of elite interests and land speculation.
“This state campaign of land-grabbing and displacement is repugnant and must be halted,” Bassey said, likening the experience of Makoko residents to the insecurity faced by victims of banditry in other parts of the country.
The groups stated that since January 5, 2026, armed security personnel, demolition teams, and bulldozers have repeatedly invaded Makoko, a historic fishing community on the Lagos Lagoon with an estimated population of over 100,000 people.
They alleged that homes were burnt or demolished with little or no notice, sometimes while residents were still inside.
They further claimed that tear gas was deployed against women, children, and the elderly, resulting in injuries and hospitalisations. Among those reportedly killed are a 70-year-old woman, Ms. Albertine Ojadikluno, and a five-day-old baby, Epiphany Kpenassou Adingban.
According to the statement, more than 3,000 houses, five schools, two clinics, and several places of worship have been destroyed. Many displaced residents are now reportedly sleeping in boats, churches, school buildings, or in the open, exposing them to severe health and safety risks.
Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the demolitions contradict earlier assurances by the Lagos State Ministry of Urban Development that the exercise would be limited to structures within 50 metres of power lines.
“Demolitions have since extended to areas without power lines, reinforcing fears that the real intention is the wholesale clearance of the Makoko community,” Oluwafemi said.
CEE-HOPE Executive Director, Betty Abah, noted that Makoko’s situation mirrors similar demolitions carried out in communities such as Oko-Baba, Ayetoro, Otumara, Baba-Ijora, Oworonshoki, and Precious Seeds, among others, often without notice, consultation, or resettlement plans.
The organisations described the demolitions as violations of Section 44 of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and international standards on forced evictions.
They demanded an immediate halt to demolitions, the unconditional release of Aide and other detained residents, an independent investigation into reported deaths and human rights abuses, and adequate compensation and resettlement for affected residents.
The groups warned that pursuing urban development through forced evictions would worsen Lagos’ housing deficit and undermine social stability, urging the state government to adopt inclusive, rights-based, and humane development approaches.