Residents of the historic waterfront community of Makoko, specifically the Ilaje Aiyetoro area in Yaba Local Council Development Area, are reeling from the recent demolition of their homes by Lagos State authorities, with many families now displaced, living on boats, and mourning significant material and emotional losses.
The exercise, which took place in recent days, has left thousands of residents without shelter.
When The Guardian visited the scene on Sunday, January 11, families were seen living aboard wooden boats, while others desperately sold salvaged roofing sheets to scavengers.
Children were observed paddling small canoes in an effort to recover whatever remained of their stilt homes.
Residents described the operation as inhumane, alleging that government officials used tear gas during the eviction, resulting in casualties including children and widespread panic.
Many claimed they received no prior notice or adequate warning before the demolition began.Speaking to journalists, resident Monday Atunbi, a commercial driver, recounted how he received a distress call while at work in Mile 2 informing him that his home was being torn down.
“I struggled to build my house, but the government chose to destroy it,” he said. “I have been wearing the same shirt and trousers for days because I lost everything.
I have not seen my four children since the demolition because I have been searching for a place for my family.
”Atunbi explained that residents were initially told to stay 25 metres away from nearby power lines, only for officials to later increase the distance by an additional five metres and ultimately demolish structures well beyond 100 metres. “I have lived here for over 40 years and was born in Makoko,” he added.
“Where do we go from here? I am appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to have mercy on us.”Another resident, Sunday Atunbi, echoed the despair: “I do not know where to go from here. I have no home or investment elsewhere. We are human beings and should be treated as such. Children and parents are now outside, and many of our people have been living in boats for nearly a week.”
He further alleged that despite instructions not to use firearms, the demolition team deployed tear gas, which he claimed led to the deaths of several children.
The Makoko community, long recognized as one of Lagos’ oldest informal settlements, has faced repeated forced evictions over the years.
Residents, who have lived on stilts above the lagoon for generations, depend primarily on fishing and small-scale trading for their livelihoods.
Civil society groups, including the Justice Empowerment Initiative and the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, have strongly condemned the latest eviction, describing it as forced and calling for an immediate halt to such actions.
They have demanded that the government provide viable alternatives and resettlement options for affected vulnerable residents.
The demolition follows a similar large-scale exercise a few weeks earlier in Mile 12, where more than 250 buildings were pulled down.When contacted for comment, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, requested one hour to respond but did not follow up or return subsequent calls.
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