Residents and community leaders from Makoko and other waterfront areas on Wednesday staged a protest in Lagos over ongoing demolitions and alleged forced evictions. The protesters gathered at the busy Ikeja Under-Bridge, accusing the Lagos State Government of pulling down homes without proper notice, compensation or plans to resettle displaced families.

The demonstrators occupied parts of the under-bridge, drawing attention from commuters and motorists along the Ikeja axis. They displayed placards with messages such as “Stop Forced Evictions Now,” “Makoko Lives Matter,” “Urban Renewal, Not Urban Removal,” and “Housing Is a Human Right.” Some also carried photos of demolished homes, children and elderly people said to be affected by the exercise.

Chanting solidarity songs, the protesters called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately stop further demolitions and open dialogue with affected communities. Activists at the scene described the demolitions as inhumane, claiming they violate existing court orders against forced evictions in waterfront settlements. They alleged that many families were left homeless overnight, with some forced to sleep under bridges, in canoes and open spaces.

According to the protesters, communities like Makoko, Owode Onirin and Oworonshoki have existed for decades and should be improved through proper urban planning instead of being destroyed. They vowed to continue the protest until their demands are met, including a halt to demolitions, compensation, relief materials and humane resettlement policies for displaced residents.