Families Forced Onto Water as Homes Demolished by Government Bulldozers

Lagos, Nigeria — Families Forced Onto Water as Homes Demolished by Government Bulldozers

In a stark and heart-wrenching reflection of housing insecurity in Nigeria’s largest city, numerous families in Makoko, a waterfront community in Lagos, have been left with no roof over their heads after government bulldozers levelled their homes — forcing many residents to sleep on canoes tied together on the lagoon. The humanitarian situation has drawn sharp criticism from affected residents and rights groups, highlighting the human cost of aggressive urban clearance drives. 

Situated on stilts above the Lagos Lagoon, Makoko’s informal homes and waterways have for decades been home to generations of fisherfolk and low-income families. In early January 2026, Lagos State authorities demolished dozens of stilt houses in the community as part of what officials described as an urban development and safety initiative. In the aftermath of the operation, displaced residents with no alternative shelter resorted to tying canoes together and laying planks across them to form makeshift sleeping platforms over the water. 

Photos and eyewitness accounts paint a grim picture: children sitting barefoot on canoes, elderly relatives crouched under scant coverings, and salvaged household items strewn on the lagoon’s surface where homes once stood. “We have nowhere else to go,” one resident told reporters, describing how the family’s dwelling was reduced to rubble in a matter of hours. Children reportedly drag canoes through chest-deep water as their families seek temporary refuge. 

The demolition is part of a broader pattern of urban clearance across Lagos, where markets, informal settlements and unapproved structures have been subject to government removal in recent months. While authorities say such actions are necessary to improve drainage, reduce flooding, and enforce planning laws, the human toll — particularly on vulnerable communities — has been profound. Experts and advocates warn that without adequate resettlement or compensation plans, many displaced residents are left to fend for themselves in precarious conditions. 

Urban rights campaigns have regularly highlighted the tension between Lagos’s development ambitions and the rights of low-income residents. Critics argue that eviction without meaningful alternatives risks deepening homelessness, disrupting livelihoods, and exacerbating poverty. In related demolition cases across other parts of the city, affected families have demanded compensation and durable housing solutions, noting that repeated clearance exercises have rendered thousands of people homeless and erased entire neighbourhoods without adequate safeguards.

Humanitarian observers say the situation in Makoko underscores the ongoing challenge faced by millions of low-income Lagosians, where formal housing remains out of reach and enforcement actions can leave families with few options. Some analysts also point to broader structural issues — including rapid population growth, a massive housing deficit, and weak enforcement of planning policies — that have made informal settlements both necessary for residents and vulnerable to state action.

As the plight of those sleeping in canoes draws national attention, calls are mounting for city authorities to complement urban renewal with comprehensive resettlement plans, financial compensation, and greater community engagement to avoid repeating cycles of displacement. For families displaced by the demolition, however, immediate needs include clean water, food, and secure shelter away from hazardous waters where they now sleep and seek to rebuild. 

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