A displaced resident from the Makoko waterfront community in Lagos State has described the ongoing demolitions as "inhuman and illegal," alleging that they have resulted in the deaths of no fewer than six people, with their bodies now in mortuaries.
Jide Ojo, who spoke during an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, recounted the traumatic experience of the forceful evictions in the Makoko area.
He claimed the demolitions disregarded due process and ignored existing court judgments halting such actions.According to Ojo: “The experience wasn’t a pleasant one at all. Very traumatic and horrible experience.
"A situation where you have government discussing regeneration, upgrading and development with members of the community suddenly turned out into demolition and unexpected demolition.”
He further explained the alleged procedural lapses: “Before the government can carry out demolition, there must be what we call a contravention notice. After the contravention notice, you should come with a quit notice. After the quit notice, then you must come with a demolition order from the court.
"But in this case, the process was not being followed. Most of these communities are having court judgments from court of competent jurisdiction in Lagos State High Court. So it’s so unfortunate. It’s not a pleasant experience at all.”
Ojo highlighted the human cost: “A lot of people have died. Some died instantly. Some died along the process as a result of the inhuman and illegal demolition and forceful eviction from the communities like we are seeing in the case of Makoko.
"There was a lady who died under the intense smoke of tear gas, and about six people are still lying down in the mortuary now as a result of illegal and forceful eviction.”
The Makoko community, often referred to as the "Venice of Nigeria" due to its stilt houses built over the Lagos Lagoon, has faced repeated eviction threats over the years.
Authorities have cited reasons such as environmental risks, public health concerns, urban renewal, and safety near infrastructure like power lines for the clearance exercises, which began intensifying late in 2025 and continued into early 2026.
The demolitions have displaced thousands of residents, including families with children, leaving many homeless and struggling without formal resettlement or adequate compensation, according to community accounts and reports from humanitarian sources.
No immediate official response from the Lagos State Government was quoted in the report regarding the specific claims of deaths or procedural violations.
The situation has sparked protests, with reports of tear gas use by security forces to disperse demonstrators, further exacerbating tensions in the affected areas.
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