Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
LAGOS, Nigeria — In a humanitarian crisis underscoring the growing complexities of urban development in Africa’s largest city, families in Makoko, the historic waterfront settlement, are enduring severe hardship following extensive demolition of their homes. In the aftermath of demolition operations that began in late 2025 and escalated this year, scores of residents have been left without shelter, food or access to basic services. Many are now sleeping on small wooden boats tied together in the polluted waters of Lagos Lagoon, surrounded by broken planks, corrugated iron sheets and personal belongings reduced to debris.
Makoko and neighbouring waterfront communities such as Oko‑Agbon and Sogunro have existed for generations, where stilt houses perched above the lagoon have provided shelter and a foundation for fishing‑based livelihoods. Residents largely depend on artisanal fishing, fish trading and small‑scale services to sustain their families. Yet in a matter of days, bulldozers and heavy machinery cleared hundreds — and according to some estimates, more than 3,000 — homes, displacing entire families without clear notice, alternative housing or compensation.
In the harrowing wake of the demolitions, images and eyewitness accounts depict adults and children precariously resting on canoes and boats that once served as transportation or fishing platforms. Many have lashed several boats together, forming unstable rafts that serve as the only refuge available. With no proper mattress, shelter or sanitary facilities, parents recount nights spent in constant fear of falling into contaminated water, exposed to mosquito swarms and the risk of imminent rainstorms. Children, uprooted from their homes and schools, cling to tattered school uniforms, often ill‑equipped for basic hygiene needs.
“This is where we live now,” said one displaced mother, gesturing toward her cluster of canoes. “We sleep here. This is our house now. We don’t even have food.” Residents report that access to clean water is virtually nonexistent, while health concerns, including skin infections and respiratory issues, are rising among adults and children forced into unsanitary conditions.
The demolition campaign, justified publicly by Lagos State Government officials as necessary for safety and urban renewal, targeted areas near power lines, transport corridors and zones identified as risk hotspots. Authorities maintained that clearing unsafe structures would help reduce hazards and provide room for future infrastructure improvements. Government representatives also stated that notices to relocate from designated risk zones were issued, although many residents insist these notices were vague, insufficient or completely absent.
Civil society organisations and human rights advocates have condemned the demolition as a forced eviction that violated constitutional protections and international norms. Activist groups highlighted that some demolitions extended beyond specified hazard zones, affecting a wider area than initially justified by safety concerns. They also accused demolition teams of using excessive force and of moving forward with clearances despite court orders demanding restraint and due process. There have been allegations — vehemently denied by authorities — that the use of force during protests and clearances contributed to multiple deaths, including that of young children. Advocates called for independent investigations into these incidents.
Protests erupted in the weeks following the demolition, with Makoko residents and supporters marching to the Lagos State House of Assembly to demand an immediate halt to the clearances and the formulation of a fair resettlement plan. Demonstrators, many of whom travelled in rickety boats or on foot, carried placards calling for dignity, housing rights and immediate government engagement. Instead of productive dialogue, some residents reported being met with tear gas and deterrence tactics, deepening mistrust between affected communities and state authorities.
Amid rising tensions, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a resolution advising the Lagos government to relocate displaced families to a planned low‑cost housing estate in Agbowa‑Epe, an inland community located at a distance from the lagoon. Lawmakers framed the resolution as an attempt to provide structured housing alternatives for those affected. However, many Makoko residents rejected the proposal, arguing that relocation to Agbowa‑Epe would sever their connection to fishing grounds and undermine livelihoods that are deeply tied to the lagoon. For families whose income and cultural identity revolve around coastal activities, moving inland threatens not only economic survival but also centuries‑old community heritage.
“We haven’t been presented with a real plan,” said a community representative. “Moving us far inland strips us of our way of life. Fishing isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are.”
The clash between community needs and state vision has laid bare broader debates about urban policy in Lagos. Planning documents circulated among advocacy organisations suggest that the government’s interest in waterfront redevelopment aligns with attracting private investment, revenue‑generating projects and modern housing estates. Critics argue that such ambitions, while reflective of economic growth strategies, risk marginalising low‑income and informal settlements under the guise of safety and modernisation.
For the displaced residents of Makoko, the absence of tangible government support compounds the crisis. Months after homes were razed, many families remain without temporary accommodation, food assistance or access to healthcare. The rainy season’s approach raises further alarm, as flooding could submerge fragile shelters and exacerbate health risks. Parents worry not only about their children’s immediate wellbeing but also about long‑term impacts on education, nutrition and psychological stability.
Community leaders and human rights advocates are calling for several urgent interventions. They want a cessation of further demolition activities until meaningful dialogue mechanisms are established. They are demanding comprehensive emergency support — including shelter, clean water, sanitation and food — on humanitarian grounds. Most critically, they insist that any long‑term resettlement plans must be developed with the full participation of affected residents, ensuring that cultural, economic and environmental considerations are central to policy decisions.
International observers, including human rights groups and urban development experts, have also weighed in, noting that forced evictions without due process and adequate resettlement frameworks contravene established human rights standards. They caution that if similar approaches are used in other African megacities facing rapid population growth and informal settlement dynamics, the risk of widespread displacement and social upheaval could intensify across the region.
The government has reiterated its commitment to modernising Lagos and has promised compensation for affected families following enumeration and documentation of losses. Officials emphasise that urban renewal is critical for Lagos to maintain economic competitiveness and to enhance safety across crowded urban zones. Yet, without swift and transparent delivery of promised relief, many displaced families fear they will be forgotten — their homes demolished and their futures uncertain.
For Makoko’s residents, the waters they once navigated for livelihood have become the setting of survival. Their fight, rooted in the quest for dignity and basic human rights, continues against the backdrop of rubble and the uncertain horizon of government action. As the world watches one of Nigeria’s most iconic communities grapple with crisis, the call for humane, inclusive and rights‑based solutions has never been clearer.
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