Residents of Makoko, Ilaje Aiyetoro Community, Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), yesterday stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, blocking part of the road in protest against the Lagos State Government’s ongoing demolition of their buildings.
The demonstrators, made up of affected residents, appealed to the Lagos State Government to restrict the demolition exercise to a 100-metre limit, warning that a wider operation would leave many families homeless.
They also urged the state government to spare their homes, saying the demolitions in Makoko were destroying livelihoods and threatening the welfare of their families.
However, while the protest was ongoing, government officials continued to remove other structures in the area, suggesting that the exercise was not limited to buildings under high-tension power lines but aimed at clearing a larger portion of the community.
In Makoko, thousands of residents are estimated to be affected by the demolition.
The waterfront community has repeatedly faced forced evictions and government-led demolitions over the years.
While the government has cited urban development and safety concerns as justification for the exercise, civil society organisations and residents have called for alternative arrangements to be provided for vulnerable residents.
The residents, many of whom have lived on stilts over water for generations, rely largely on fishing and small-scale trading for survival.
