Police open fire on peaceful Lagos protesters, journalists

Peaceful protesters demanding entry into the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa were met with gunfire and aggressive police action on Wednesday, leaving several residents injured and blood covering parts of the road.

Journalists covering the protest were also targeted at exactly 1:15 p.m. This PREMIUM TIMES reporter said he was pushed into teargas and shot at close range by police officers while standing near colleagues from Cool FM.

One officer reportedly said, “We don’t like journalists. Join them now or I’ll shoot you,” before opening fire. Some journalists struggled to breathe while fleeing, despite clearly identifying themselves as members of the press.

Eyewitnesses said two female lawmakers, whose identities could not be independently confirmed, allegedly instructed Lagos State Police Commissioner Jimoh Moshood to disperse the protesters and journalists.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that after speaking with Mr Jimmy, following the alleged order, protest leader Hassan Soweto was reportedly seized by a police officer identified only as “Yellow.”

Police then fired into the crowd, which included children and elderly women, witnesses said.

Eyewitnesses and organisers emphasised that the protest remained peaceful throughout, insisting that protesters sought only to make their grievances heard and did not engage in any acts of violence.

The demonstration, organised by the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing, and Displacement, began at 7 a.m. at Ikeja Underbridge.

Residents marched along Awolowo Road toward the State Assembly, carrying placards reading: “Save Our Souls” and “Stop the Killings, Stop Demolition of Our Homes.”

Addressing the crowd under the bridge, Hassan Soweto said residents were not opposed to development but condemned demolitions that left communities homeless.

Organisers said they were uncertain about possible police intervention after the Lagos State Police Command rejected the coalition’s notification of the rally on Tuesday.

The police have not issued an official statement regarding the rejection.

Traders at Owode Onirin spare parts market and residents of Ajegunle are among those reportedly facing eviction.

Organisers allege the demolitions form part of a broader plan by the state government and private interests to acquire land for hotels and luxury residential developments.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana criticised the Lagos State Government for allegedly ignoring court orders protecting residents’ homes.

He cited a 2017 Lagos State High Court ruling that declared previous government-ordered evictions unlawful and awarded affected families N3.5 million in damages, as well as a Federal High Court ruling from August 2025 prohibiting demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro, and Iwaya waterfront settlements.

Mr Falana added that the state’s actions also contravene a 2024 Supreme Court ruling affirming the Federal Government’s exclusive authority over navigable inland waters.

The Lagos State Government defended the demolitions as necessary to protect lives, public infrastructure, and the environment. Officials say buildings along critical waterways and beneath high-tension power lines pose safety risks.

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During the weekly Ask Lagos X-space forum, Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso said the law requires buildings to maintain prescribed setbacks, warning that accidents involving live power cables or waterways could result in large-scale disasters.

Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, said the demolitions are part of a broader urban regeneration plan aimed at enforcing planning standards and making Lagos more resilient.

Civil society organisations and community groups, however, condemned the demolitions as anti-poor, noting that they were carried out without adequate consultation, compensation, or resettlement for affected residents.