By Janet Itodo, JKNewsMedia Intern
HOMES HAVE continued to fall at the Makoko waterfront as three Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) condemn what they describe as violent demolitions by the Lagos State Government (LASG).
According to the CSOs, the LASG have reportedly left two babies and an adult dead, displaced thousands of residents and led to the arrest of a community youth leader calling for restraint and due process.
The Centre for Children’s Health Education Orientation (CCHE) and Protection Nigeria, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (PN-HMEF), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) issued the condemnation in a statement on Tuesday, describing the events as part of a disturbing pattern showing disregard for the constitutional rights to life and wellbeing of marginalised residents struggling to survive after years of neglect.
They highlighted the arrest of Mr. Oluwatobi Aide, also known as Woli, identified as a youth leader in the Makoko community.
He was reportedly arrested by security agents on Monday January 12, 2026, and added that he was initially taken to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) office in Alausa before being transferred to the Area F Police Station in Ikeja, where he remains detained.
Eyewitnesses cited in the statement said Mr. Aide approached officials involved in the demolition to appeal for time for residents to retrieve their belongings.
The appeal reportedly came after it became clear that the demolitions had gone beyond the corridor and perimeter earlier communicated to residents as relating to power lines.
Security agents reportedly arrested him instead of engaging with the concerns raised, noting that Mr Aide had been tear-gassed during the demolitions and hospitalised last week, and that his health has further deteriorated while in detention.
Condemning both the demolitions and the arrest, Mr. Nnimmo Bassey, Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (DHMEF), described the actions as attacks on vulnerable populations and the urban poor.
He said they reflected what he called contempt by the government of Lagos State for people it views as expendable in pursuit of elite profit and land speculation.
He also described the arrest of community members and the displacement of families who have always known Makoko as home as underscoring the helplessness of struggling people in the country.
Bassey compared the assault to what Nigerians face in areas affected by banditry and called the campaign of land grabbing and displacement repugnant and in need of an immediate halt.
The organisations stated that since January 5, 2026, armed thugs, security personnel, and demolition teams using bulldozers have repeatedly moved into Makoko.
They also described Makoko as a historic fishing community on the Lagos Lagoon with an estimated population of over 100,000 residents.
However, the residents’ homes were reportedly set on fire with little or no notice, in some cases while many were still inside.
Also, tear gas was deployed against women, children, and elderly persons, leaving many injured and hospitalised. Three deaths have been reported so far, including two babies.
Among those reported dead are Ms. Albertine Ojadikluno, aged 70, and Epiphany Kpenassou Adingban, a five-day old baby as the statement said the deaths occurred in the course of the demolition activities.
The groups further stated that over 3000 houses have reportedly been destroyed, displacing more than 10000 people.
Also, five schools, two clinics, and several places of worship were also reported demolished.
At the moment, displaced residents, including children, were said to be sleeping in boats, canoes, churches, school buildings, or in the open, exposed to harsh weather conditions and serious health risks.
Executive Director, CAPPA, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the actions contradicted assurances earlier given by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Urban Development.
He said officials had claimed the demolition was limited to structures within 50 metres of power lines, a claim later shifted to 100 metres, despite legal standards generally stipulating a corridor of 30 to 50 metres.
He also added that demolitions had since extended to areas such as Oko Baba, which he said are not under power lines, reinforcing fears that the aim was the wholesale clearance of Makoko.
Ms. Betty Abah, Executive Director, CCHEOPN, said Makoko’s experience was not isolated stating that over the past year, the Lagos State government had carried out similar demolition exercises in communities including Oko Baba, Ayetoro, parts of Makoko, Otumara, Baba Ijora, Oworonshoki, and Precious Seeds.
Abah said the actions displaced tens of thousands of low-income residents, particularly women and children.
She also stated that in several cases demolitions were carried out without prior notice, consultation, or provision of alternative accommodation, and in defiance of pending court cases or injunctions.
She added that earlier evictions in Badia East, Otodo Gbame, Maroko, Monkey Village, Ilaje Bariga, and Ifelodun showed a long-standing pattern of forced evictions that had shattered livelihoods, uprooted families, and exposed women and children to increased risks of violence, hunger, and poverty.
The groups also described the actions as unconstitutional, citing violations of Section 44 of the Nigerian Constitution, obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and international standards prohibiting forced evictions without due process, consultation, adequate notice, compensation, and resettlement.
They therefore demanded an immediate halt to demolition activities in Makoko and other affected communities, the unconditional release of Mr. Aide and other community members arrested in connection with peaceful advocacy, an independent investigation into the reported deaths and use of force, adequate compensation and resettlement for affected residents, and respect for court processes and community consultation.
They further warned that urban development could not be pursued through violence, fear, and dispossession, and called on the Lagos State government to adopt rights based and inclusive approaches that prioritise human dignity, housing security and livelihoods.
