Human rights and civil society groups have condemned the Lagos State Government’s relentless demolitions in waterfront and informal settlements—Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode Onirin, Otumara, and Baba-Ijora—which have displaced thousands and left at least 12 dead, despite a $200 million World Bank initiative aimed at upgrading slums and improving living conditions.
Civil society leaders described the demolitions as part of a systemic attack on the urban poor, carried out without consultation, compensation, or resettlement, raising urgent questions about human rights, governance, and the oversight of international development funds.
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At a press conference held at the International Press Centre in Ogba, Lagos State, on Thursday, the groups Caccused the government of forcibly evicting residents without notice or plans for relocation.
“These actions represent a deliberate pattern of state-enabled violence against the urban poor, carried out to clear valuable land for elite interests and private mega-developments,” said Zikora Ibeh, the assistant executive director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).
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The press conference statement was signed by Student Coordinator of Makoko Waterfront community, Israel Idowu; Chairman, Owode Motor Spare Parts Market, Abiodun Ahmed; Secretary, Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM), Tunde Yusuf; Secretary, Coalition of Oworonshoki Demolition Victims,Olanrewaju Olusegun; Founder, Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEEHOPE), Betty Abah, and President, Center for Human and Social Economic Rights (CHSR), Alex Omotehinse.
The rest are Assistant Executive Director, CAPPA, Ms Ibeh; President, Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, Iwamitighi Irowainu; Opeyemi Adamolekun of Active Citizen, and a member of #EndbadGovernance Movement, Lagos State, Hassan Taiwo Soweto.
Failed World Bank-funded project
Ms Ibeh reminded journalists that in 2006, the Lagos State Government identified nine slum communities for a $200 million development initiative financed by the World Bank, the Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP).
She stated that the project aimed to upgrade schools, hospitals, markets, and other facilities in informal settlements including Agege, Ajegunle, Amukoko, Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ilaje, Bariga, and Ijeshatedo/Itire.
However, she said a 2013 PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation found that the government had only installed a non-functional borehole and an old transformer in Makoko instead of a new one as specified by the World Bank.
Ms Ibeh noted that the project, expected to benefit one million people, ended in September 2013 with an unsatisfactory rating from the World Bank.
World Bank policy requires that slum upgrading should not displace residents. Despite this, Lagos embarked on aggressive demolitions of major slums shortly afterward.
“Governments must regulate urban spaces, but true urban renewal must be inclusive and rights-based. Slum renewal cannot mean slum removal,” Ms Ibeh said.
Ms Ibeh pointed to Nairobi and Cape Town, where governments upgraded informal settlements without mass displacement, protecting residents’ livelihoods, social networks, and culture.
She said Lagos government could adopt similar approaches instead of relying on force.
In the statement, the groups said forced evictions have become a persistent feature across Lagos State. Otodo Gbame saw over 30,000 residents displaced in 2016–2017 despite court orders.
In Oworonshoki, homes were demolished in the middle of the night, leaving residents injured and arrested. Orisunmibare, Otto, and Oko Baba experienced similar evictions in 2024, with residents alleging deceit and illegality.
Ilaje-Otumara and Baba-Ijora suffered mass demolitions in March 2025, leaving more than 10,000 people homeless and destroying homes, businesses, and places of worship.
Makoko demolitions
Ms Ibeh explained that the demolitions in Makoko, a historic waterfront community of over 100,000 residents, began on 23 December 2025.
She said the Lagos State officials have destroyed more than 3,000 homes and displaced over 10,000 people. Armed security personnel and bulldozers carried out operations using tear gas and setting homes on fire while residents were inside.
She stated that at least 12 people, including two infants, have died. Schools, clinics, and places of worship were demolished, leaving many displaced children exposed to the elements and serious health risks.
She emphasised that the residents claim they complied with government directives to maintain safe distances from high-tension power lines, but demolitions extended beyond the agreed areas—up to 500 meters into the community.
She further reiterated that the community leaders allege the government used safety regulations as a pretext to grab land for private interests.
Government defence
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has defended the ongoing demolitions, saying the action is necessary to safeguard lives and property.
Speaking on Monday after signing the N4.4 trillion 2026 appropriation bill into law, the governor said the demolitions targeted illegal structures built on high-risk areas and power-line setbacks.
“The safety of lives and property is paramount and must be safeguarded,” he said. “We had to deploy first responders when a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of fuel fell on a bridge and spilled fuel, and over 100 people were scooping it. If anything had happened, the consequences would have been tragic. It’s a similar situation in Makoko. The government is acting to prevent calamity, not to punish anyone.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu added that many residents had built shanties under high-tension wires, putting themselves at risk.
“We are not demolishing all of Makoko. We are clearing areas to prevent encroachment on the Third Mainland Bridge and to keep residents away from high-tension lines,” he said.
The governor also addressed criticisms from NGOs, suggesting some are motivated by financial gain rather than concern for residents, and promised palliative measures including relocation options and grants for affected families.
Government neglect and contempt for the law
The groups argue that the government has consistently failed to provide basic infrastructure, sanitation, potable water, and healthcare, yet weaponises these failures to justify forced evictions.
The statement said the state has repeatedly defied court orders. In October 2025, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), secured an interim injunction to halt demolitions in Oworonshoki, which the government ignored.
In 2025, the Federal High Court restrained the government and its agencies from further demolitions in waterfront communities, awarding N3 million in damages for previous abuses.
Civil society groups claim the government has not paid the award.
Voices from the community, CSOs demands
Residents of Makoko and Ajegunle shared harrowing accounts of displacement and violence at the press conference.
Idowu Israel, Makoko student coordinator, said demolitions extended 500 meters into the community, and tear gas injured women, children, and the elderly.
He reported that a newborn died after inhaling tear gas, and a woman recently giving birth bled to death after a bulldozer blocked access to medical care.
Abiodun Ahmed, chairman of the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market, alleged that security operatives demolished shops overnight, seized goods and vehicles, and demanded N50,000 per vehicle for retrieval.
Also, Secretary, Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM), Tunde Yusuf, said officials displaced elderly residents and destroyed homes to make way for a logistics hub.
Civil society leaders demanded an immediate halt to all demolitions, the provision of safe emergency shelters for displaced families, access to education and healthcare, and full compensation for destroyed homes, schools, and livelihoods.
They also called for transparent resettlement plans, a public apology from the governor, and accountability for state violence.
The groups warned that Lagos cannot claim global-city status while treating its poorest residents as disposable obstacles to profit.
Background
Lagos has a long history of forced evictions in informal settlements, often justified as urban renewal initiatives but widely criticised for violating residents’ rights.
Makoko, one of Lagos’ historic waterfront communities, has frequently been at the center of state-led demolition campaigns. Rights groups have described these actions as illegal, violent, and discriminatory.
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The Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP), a $200 million World Bank initiative launched in 2006, aimed to upgrade slums and improve infrastructure without displacing residents.
Observers, including Amnesty International, have criticised Lagos’ subsequent demolitions for contradicting the project’s objectives.
Civil society groups, such as Slum Dwellers International, emphasised that the recurring forced evictions undermine residents’ livelihoods and Lagos’ aspirations as a global city, underscoring the need for inclusive, rights-based urban development strategies.
