Makoko Residents Protest Property Demolition

Residents of Makoko, a community nestled on the Lagos lagoon, have protested the demolition of their homes by officials of the state government.

Speaking with TheCable on Thursday, they shared that the clearance began on December 22, 2025.

They said they initially thought the bulldozing was meant to destroy only homes within the 30-metre safety setback from the high tension power line.

The power line criss-crosses the community and the landmark Third Mainland Bridge.

Messou Abayomi, a resident and stakeholder, said sometime last year, community leaders and officials of the Lagos state government, agreed that only buildings within the 30-metre safety setback should be demolished.

Abayomi said it was later agreed that a 50-metre safety setback from the power line was sufficient and then 100-metre setback was finally settled for.

Abayomi said another round of levelling that kicked off on January 4 and 5 severely violated the 100-metre safety setback deal.

The green flag mast signifies the 100 metres from the power line but demolition has gone beyond the 100 metres

“They (officials of the Lagos government) have passed more than 100-metre setback. They are even going to 200-metre. They lied to us,” he said.

“They came with caterpillars and started demolishing the houses without notice. As we speak, they are still demolishing houses.”

Micheline Sunnuvun, a woman in her sixties, said she was not given notice before her home was brought down last Friday.

A temporal shelter for Micheline Sunnuvun, one of the affected resident who’s home was demolished

Sunnuvun said her goods, including bags of garri, were destroyed during the demolition exercise, adding that she has nowhere to go.

“I have been staying outside beside the shore since the demolition. At night, I usually use clothes to cover myself and sleep. They have destroyed all what I have been using for survival,” she said in Yoruba.

Another victim of the demolition is Wusu John, who has been residing in the waterfront community for over three decades. John, a fisherman, said he left Kweme community in Badagry to Makoko to continue his trade.

“I don’t have anywhere to go,” says Wusu John, one of the affected community member as he seats in front of remains of his demolished house

He said community leaders told him that his home would not be demolished since it was not in violation of the setback agreement.

John said security operatives attached to the demolition officials fired teargas canisters at residents.

“We have been staying here for a very long time. I was here when they did this power line,” he said.

Wusu John

“We were not prepared for this demolition. Since I moved here over 30 years ago, this place has become my home. I don’t have anywhere to go.”

When TheCable visited the community, some residents were seen sleeping in boats laden with their belongings.

Reacting to the development, Gbolahan Oki, permanent secretary in the Lagos urban development office, defended the state government’s position on the flattening.

Oki said the government had acted in the interest of public safety, adding that it would be held responsible if a power line lands in the water.

Demolition exercises are not new in the Makoko suburb. Residents have been repeatedly threatened with forced evictions.

Successive Lagos governments have made numerous attempts to dislodge occupants of the settlement.

PROTEST AT LAGOS ASSEMBLY

On Thursday, some residents of the settlement besieged the Lagos house of assembly complex in Ikeja to protest the demolition.

They appealed to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, to put an end to the destruction of their community.

The demonstrators bore placards with inscriptions like ‘Save Makoko community’, ‘Shelter is our right’, and ‘Please leave our homes alone, 100-metre is 100-metre’.