Police officers on Wednesday used tear gas to disperse residents protesting ongoing demolitions in parts of Lagos State.
WuzupNigeria had earlier reported that the protesters gathered at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex in Ikeja to demand an immediate stop to what they described as forced evictions. Security operatives moved in and broke up the protest, firing tear gas to clear the area.
Videos from the scene showed protesters running for safety as the tear gas spread around the complex.
The demonstrators accused the Lagos State Government of carrying out demolitions without proper notice, compensation or plans to resettle affected residents.
They occupied parts of the busy under-bridge near the assembly complex, holding placards with messages such as “Stop Forced Evictions Now,” “Makoko Lives Matter,” and “Housing Is a Human Right.”
Other placards read, “Where Do You Want the Poor to Go?” and “Development Without Displacement.”
Some protesters displayed photographs showing demolished houses and displaced families. They also chanted slogans like “No Justice, No Peace,” while calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene and suspend the demolitions.
The protesters described the evictions as cruel and unlawful, claiming they violated court orders that restrain forced evictions in waterfront communities.
According to them, many residents have been left homeless, with some now sleeping in canoes, under bridges and in open spaces after their homes were pulled down.
They argued that communities such as Makoko, which has existed for decades and is partly built on stilts over the lagoon, should be improved through proper urban planning instead of being demolished.
The protesters vowed to continue demonstrating until the state government halts the demolitions, provides relief and compensation for affected residents, and adopts humane resettlement policies.
They also called for dialogue with the government, insisting that development should not come at the cost of displacing poor and vulnerable communities.
