High-impact analysis, human rights context, and urbanisation consequences —
Introduction: The Displacement of “The Venice of Nigeria”
Makoko — often referred to as the “Venice of Africa” — is a centuries-old fishing community built largely on stilts over the brackish waters of the Lagos Lagoon. Once a vibrant hub of commerce, fishing, and everyday life for generations of Nigerians, Makoko has become the centre of a dramatic eviction and demolition operation by the Lagos State Government. The latest government action began in late December 2025 and has escalated into one of the most devastating forced-displacement crises in the city’s recent memory.
Now, tens of thousands of residents — many of whom have lived in this community for decades — are left homeless, vulnerable, and at risk of disease, hunger, and deepening poverty. The fallout from the demolitions has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society organisations and brought renewed scrutiny to Lagos’s urban planning practices.
Makoko: A Community With Deep Roots
Makoko’s history stretches back to the 19th century as a humble fishing village for migrants from coastal regions of West Africa, including areas that are now part of Benin, Togo, and Nigeria itself. Over time, the settlement expanded into a bustling waterside enclave, with homes built atop wooden stilts and interconnected by narrow waterways navigated by canoes and small boats.
Despite its deep cultural and economic significance, Makoko has remained largely informal — without official recognition, modern infrastructure, basic sanitation, or secure land tenure. Its omission from formal city planning databases symbolises the broader marginalisation the community has faced within Lagos’s urban governance.
What Happened: Demolitions and Evictions in 2025–2026
In late December 2025, the Lagos State Government deployed demolition teams — including bulldozers and amphibious excavators — to begin tearing down homes and structures in Makoko’s Ilaje Aiyetoro area. Officially, the state said the operation aimed to enforce safety regulations tied to high-tension power lines and urban development planning. Authorities emphasised that structures too close to power infrastructure posed electrocution and fire risks.
However, residents and community leaders paint a starkly different picture of how the operation unfolded:
Little or no notice: Residents assert they did not receive formal warnings or adequate time to relocate, pack possessions, or prepare for the demolitions.
Expanding scope: Although the government initially said demolition was limited to specified setbacks (30–100 metres) from power lines, reports say excavators pushed deeper into residential areas, destroying homes far beyond these limits.
Use of force: Tear gas was reportedly deployed during protests, affecting women, children, and elderly residents and contributing to hospitalisations.
To date, more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed, displacing over 10,000 residents — though some civil society estimates suggest the actual number affected could be significantly higher when neighbouring settlements are considered.
The Human Toll: Deaths, Displacement, and Survival Struggles
The demolitions have had deadly consequences. Multiple reports from on-the-ground sources say that at least three people have died, including two newborn babies and a 70-year-old woman, as a direct or indirect result of the demolition operation.
Displaced residents describe harrowing conditions:
Families sleeping on canoes and boats on the lagoon.
Children exposed to contaminated water and lacking school uniforms, books, or stability.
Adults scrambling to sell scraps of roofing or materials just to feed their children.
Evicted residents seeking shelter in churches, schools, or under open skies.
These descriptions reveal a profound humanitarian crisis: elderly residents, infants, and children — the most vulnerable members of society — are enduring squalid and unsafe conditions.
Civil Society Reaction: Condemnations and Rights Warnings
Prominent Nigerian civil society organisations — including the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) — have publicly condemned the demolitions as brutal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional.
In joint statements, these groups have:
Criticised the violent execution of the operation.
Accused authorities of violating residents’ rights to housing, dignity, and due process.
Called for immediate halts to the eviction, independent investigations, and adequate resettlement and compensation for displaced residents.
These violations, they argue, also conflict with Nigeria’s own Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights — international legal frameworks protecting the rights of individuals and communities against forced evictions without safeguards.
Underlying Issues: Urbanisation, Inequality, and Gentrification
The Makoko crisis highlights persistent tensions in Lagos’s rapid urban expansion. As Africa’s largest city and Nigeria’s commercial powerhouse, Lagos has seen explosive growth, intense property speculation, and rising demand for waterfront land. In this context, informal communities often find themselves at odds with planning agendas that prioritise elite development projects over the housing and livelihood needs of low-income residents.
Critics argue that rather than integrating communities like Makoko into urban development plans, authorities are simply clearing them to make way for more profitable land uses — deepening entrenched inequality and marginalisation. 🔍
Where Do Things Stand Now?
As of January 2026: ✔ Thousands remain homeless
✔ No organised resettlement programme has been publicly confirmed
✔ Civil society groups continue to pressure for legal remedies
✔ Health and survival risks for displaced families are rising
The Lagos State Government maintains its justification but has yet to provide clear, humane alternatives for the displaced.
Conclusion: What This Means for Nigeria
The Makoko demolitions are more than a local story — they underscore larger national challenges related to housing policy, human rights, urban governance, and social equity. As Nigeria’s megacities grow, the fate of communities like Makoko will shape conversations about sustainability, inclusiveness, and justice.
The question now is whether policy will prioritise economic opportunity for all residents, or continue to elevate infrastructural development at the expense of human dignity.
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