Photo: A woman allegedly shot by police during protest
By: Mandy Park
A protest by displaced residents from the Makoko waterfront community and allied activists demanding an end to forced evictions turned chaotic today, Wednesday 28th January as police fired tear gas and clashed with demonstrators outside the Lagos State House of Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja.
Comrade Hassan Taiwo Soweto, a prominent member of the EndBadGovernance Movement and a key figure in the protest coordination committee was beaten and arrested.
Hundreds of protesters, including women, elderly residents and traders, converged on the Assembly premises to press their grievances against what they described as “inhumane demolitions” and “forced evictions” across Makoko and other low-income settlements in Lagos State. The demonstrators were calling for lawmakers to intervene and stop the demolition exercises that have displaced thousands of residents and destroyed homes without adequate relocation or compensation.
The protest, which began peacefully with placards and chants, escalated around midday when police officers from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) reportedly moved in to disperse the crowd. Security operatives fired tear gas canisters toward the protesters, leading to panic, some injured and forcing many to flee the area.
The scenes near the Assembly gates were chaotic as tear gas filled the air, disrupting movement around the complex and sending protesters, journalists, commuters and bystanders rushing for cover.
There were arrests and allegations of excessive force.
Among those reportedly arrested was Hassan Taiwo Soweto, among other youths, and the elderly.
According to eyewitness account, police detained Soweto and took him into the Assembly grounds amid the standoff with demonstrators.
Several elderly residents and other activists were also reported to have been detained during the confrontation at the Assembly entrances.
Confirmed numbers and locations of the arrested individuals have not yet been released by authorities as at Press time.
Protesters reiterated grievances that demolitions in Makoko have been carried out without meaningful consultation, proper notice or resettlement plans for affected families, leaving many homeless and vulnerable.
They carried banners with slogans such as “Stop Forced Evictions Now,” “Makoko Lives Matter,” and “Housing Is a Human Right,” and called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the State Assembly to engage directly with community leaders to halt the demolitions.
Community leaders also decried what they describe as violations of court orders that allegedly restrain forced evictions in some waterfront communities, accusing state authorities of ignoring legal and human rights obligations.
The Makoko protest at the House of Assembly is part of a broader wave of demonstrations tied to ongoing demolition exercises across waterfront and informal settlements in Lagos, including Makoko, Owode Onirin and Oworonshoki. Community residents and rights groups say these clearances have left thousands of people displaced since late December 2025 and into January 2026, citing a lack of compensation and relocation support.
Human rights organisations have condemned the demolitions as violations of residents’ rights, alleging that bulldozers accompanied by security personnel destroyed homes, schools, places of worship and other community infrastructure without adequate safeguards.
So far the Lagos State Police Command and the State Government had not issued official statements confirming the details of the police action, the number of arrests, or any casualty figures from today’s protest.
