Residents of the historic waterfront community of Makoko in Lagos have staged protests and appealed to the state government to halt the ongoing demolition of their homes, accusing officials of violating a previously agreed safety setback from a high-tension power line.
The demolition, which began in December 2025, intensified in early January, leaving dozens of families displaced and homeless. Community stakeholders claim that while an agreement was reached last year for a 100-meter safety setback from the power line, government bulldozers have exceeded that boundary, destroying homes up to 200 meters away without adequate notice.
Broken Agreement and Displaced Lives
Messou Abayomi, a community leader, explained that after negotiations, officials had agreed to a 100-meter setback. “They lied to us,” he stated. “They have passed more than 100-metre setback. They are even going to 200-metre… They came with caterpillars and started demolishing the houses without notice.”
Elderly resident Micheline Sunnuvun recounted returning home last Friday to find her house destroyed and her goods, including bags of garri, ruined. “I have been staying outside beside the shore since the demolition. At night, I usually use clothes to cover myself and sleep. They have destroyed all what I have been using for survival,” she said.
Wusu John, a fisherman who has lived in Makoko for over 30 years, said security operatives fired tear gas at residents during the exercise. “We were not prepared for this demolition… I don’t have anywhere to go,” he lamented.
Government’s Defense and Continuing Protests
In response, Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Urban Development, defended the demolition as necessary for public safety, stating the government would be held responsible if the power line were to fall.
Despite this, affected residents took their protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, carrying placards with messages such as “Save Makoko community,” “Shelter is our right,” and “Please leave our homes alone, 100-metre is 100-metre.”
Makoko, a sprawling informal settlement on the Lagos lagoon, has faced repeated threats of demolition and forced eviction by successive state governments. The current crisis highlights the ongoing tension between urban development, public safety policies, and the housing rights of vulnerable communities.
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