Police officers deployed to the Lagos State House of Assembly complex, Ikeja, on Wednesday used tear gas to disperse protesters demonstrating against ongoing forced evictions and demolitions across the state.
The protest, organised by Makoko residents and activists, featured demonstrators holding photographs of demolished homes, displaced families, and images of children and elderly persons affected by the demolitions.
Protesters chanted slogans including “No Justice, No Peace,” “Makoko Is Not a Slum,” and “Consult the People,” calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to halt further demolitions and engage affected communities in dialogue.
Activists told journalists that the demolitions are inhumane and, in some cases, violate court orders restraining forced evictions in waterfront communities. The police response, however, triggered panic, forcing residents, traders, commuters, and protesters to flee in different directions, disrupting movement around the complex.
While security operatives remain on-site, the protest has been temporarily dispersed.
