Nigeria: Lagos lawmakers visit Makoko amid eviction crisis

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

On Thursday members of the Lagos State House of Assembly visited the Makoko waterfront on a fact-finding mission to assess ongoing evictions and demolitions threatening tens of thousands of residents in Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro communities. The lawmakers, under the Committee on Rules and Business, were greeted by students from the Makoko Gunuvi Students Association, who sang the national anthem and chanted, “Our community is our home, help us protect it,” while holding placards appealing for mercy.

The visit followed urgent appeals against mass forced evictions, with residents expressing concerns over demolitions extending far beyond the agreed 100-meter safety clearance from a high-voltage power line. Baale of Oko Agbon, Chief Emmanuel Shemede, described the humanitarian impact: “Many people are now homeless; they are sleeping in their canoes, both children and women. The government came, and they started demolishing our houses beyond what we agreed on. We are not fighting the government; we are trying to find a solution.”

Community representative Kojo Phineas called for immediate compensation for lost livelihoods and temporary shelter for affected families, alleging brutality and theft during demolitions. The inspection was briefly disrupted by a dispute among locals, forcing lawmakers to bypass a section to prevent violence.

Following the inspection, Hon. Noheem Adams, Chairman of the Committee, appealed for calm and ordered a temporary halt to further demolitions. “We cannot decide anything today, as today is just for us to come and see, but we are appealing to everybody that the status quo should remain.