Police officers attached to the Lagos State Police Command, including members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), on Wednesday fired tear gas to disperse residents protesting the demolition of homes in several parts of Lagos.
The protesters, drawn from communities such as Makoko, Iyana-Oworo, Otumara and Owode-Onirin, said their homes were destroyed without proper notice, consultation or plans for resettlement. They described the demolitions as forced evictions that have left many families homeless and without livelihoods.
The protest, organised by the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing and Displacement in Lagos, began peacefully at Ikeja Bridge and moved towards Alausa before stopping at the Lagos State House of Assembly, where protesters hoped lawmakers would intervene.
Witnesses said police fired tear gas outside the Assembly complex, causing panic and injuries. Several protesters, including the protest leader popularly known as Comrade Soweto, were arrested. Blood stains were seen on the ground, while the exact number of injured or detained persons remained unclear.
Rights advocates say both the police response and the demolitions raise serious concerns. They point to previous rulings by the Lagos State High Court, which have declared that demolishing homes without proper notice, consultation or alternative housing violates the dignity and basic rights of residents. Courts have also ordered the Lagos State Government to stop such evictions unless due process is followed.
Protesters carried placards reading, “Lagos is not for the rich alone” and “A megacity cannot be built on the bones and blood of the poor,” highlighting fears that development projects are pushing poor communities out of the city.
Human rights groups have called on the Lagos State Government to stop further demolitions, release those arrested during the protest, and engage affected communities to find fair and humane solutions.
As of mid-afternoon, security operatives remained stationed around the state secretariat, while tension lingered in the area.
