Residents of Lagos waterfront communities are set to stage a protest on Wednesday against ongoing demolitions and forced evictions after the Lagos State Police Command rejected their notification of the rally.
In a notice shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing, and Displacement said the demonstration would begin at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday at Ikeja Underbridge, stressing that the protest will proceed despite the police stance.
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The Lagos State Police Command has yet to issue any statement regarding its decision, leaving organisers and residents uncertain about potential police intervention.
Traders at Owode Onirin spare parts market and residents of Ajegunle are among those reportedly facing eviction, with organisers alleging that the demolitions are part of a broader effort by the state government and private interests to acquire land for hotels and luxury residential developments.
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Falana accuses Lagos Government of violating court orders
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has accused the Lagos State Government of ignoring multiple court orders protecting residents’ homes in waterfront communities.
In a statement, he said the demolitions violate several High Court and Supreme Court rulings, including a 22 June 2017 Lagos State High Court judgment that declared previous government-ordered evictions unlawful and awarded N3.5 million in damages to affected families.
Mr Falana also cited a 25 August 2025 Federal High Court ruling restraining the Lagos State Government, its agencies, and the Nigeria Police Force from carrying out demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro, and Iwaya waterfront settlements.
He said the ruling aimed to protect an estimated 270,000 residents from displacement without adequate resettlement.
According to Mr Falana, Lagos State’s actions also contravene a Supreme Court ruling in 2024 in the dispute between the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the state government, which affirmed the Federal Government’s exclusive authority over navigable inland waters.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu must comply with all valid and subsisting court orders,” Mr Falana said, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Military Governor of Lagos State v. Chief Emeka Ojukwu, which underscored that no government is above the law.
Government defends demolitions
The Lagos State Government has defended its demolition exercise, describing it as necessary to protect lives, public infrastructure, and the environment. State officials have said that buildings along critical waterways and under high-tension power lines pose safety risks.
State officials made the defence during discussions on Ask Lagos, a weekly X-space forum organised to engage residents.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the law requires buildings to maintain prescribed setbacks, warning that accidents involving live cables or waterways could lead to large-scale disasters.
READ ALSO: Amid deaths, displacement Lagos State govt defends Makoko, other waterfront demolitions
Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, said the demolitions form part of a broader urban regeneration plan to enforce planning standards and make Lagos a more resilient city.
Call to action
Civil society organisations and community groups have condemned the demolitions as anti-poor, arguing they were carried out without adequate consultation, compensation, or resettlement.
Rights groups have reported deaths and displacement linked to the exercise, although the Lagos State Government has disputed these figures.
The coalition organising the protest said residents must unite to defend their communities.
“The people of Lagos deserve to live without fear of displacement or forced eviction,” it said.
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