A global coalition of human rights, environmental and social justice organisations has called on the Lagos state government to immediately halt the ongoing demolition of Makoko, a historic fishing community on the Lagos Lagoon, warning that the exercise violates court orders, constitutional protections and international human rights standards.
In a joint statement signed by 23 national and international organisations, the groups condemned what they described as violent and unlawful demolitions that began on January 5, 2026, when armed teams moved into Makoko, tearing down homes, schools, clinics and places of worship. The coalition said residents, including women, children and the elderly, were subjected to tear gas and excessive force, leaving hundreds of families homeless.
According to the groups, many displaced residents have been forced to sleep in boats, churches and open spaces after their homes were razed, often without notice, consultation or any alternative resettlement plan. They also alleged that some buildings were set ablaze with residents’ belongings still inside.
The coalition said the Makoko operation reflects a broader pattern of forced evictions across Lagos waterfront communities over the past year, displacing tens of thousands of people. Communities affected include Oko-Baba, Ayetoro, Otumara, Baba-Ijora, Oworonshoki and Precious Seeds, with similar demolitions also reported in previous years in Badia East, Otodo-Gbame, Maroko, Monkey Village, Ilaje-Bariga and Ifelodun.
“These actions demonstrate a repeated disregard for due process and subsisting court orders,” the statement said, noting that several of the affected communities had pending cases or injunctions restraining the state from carrying out demolitions. The coalition added that deaths have been reported as direct consequences of some past evictions.
Beyond the immediate humanitarian impact, the organisations warned that the demolitions threaten the cultural and economic survival of waterfront communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing and lagoon-based trade. They also said the forced evictions are worsening Lagos’s housing crisis, which already affects millions of residents in Africa’s most populous city.
The signatories called on the Lagos State Government to respect court orders, investigate allegations of abuse by demolition teams, and provide adequate alternatives, compensation and resettlement for affected residents. They urged authorities to adopt a rights-based and environmentally sustainable approach to urban development that prioritises human dignity, housing security and livelihoods over forced displacement.
“We stand in solidarity with Makoko and all communities facing unlawful and violent evictions in Lagos,” the coalition said.
Signatories to the statement include Nigeria-based organisations such as the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, and CEE-HOPE, alongside international groups including Oilwatch Africa, the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights in Norway, the Centre pour la Justice Environnementale Togo, and the Movement for Alternatives and Solidarity in Southeast Asia.
