Police Disperse Makoko Protesters With Tear Gas At Lagos Assembly

The serene atmosphere surrounding the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, was shattered on Wednesday as security operatives deployed tear gas to disperse a massive crowd of protesters from the Makoko waterfront community. What began as a peaceful demonstration quickly spiraled into a chaotic scene of panic and confusion, leaving residents, activists, and commuters scrambling for safety.

Hundreds of Makoko residents had converged on the legislative complex early in the morning, carrying placards and chanting slogans to voice their grievances over ongoing demolitions. The protesters, who represent one of Africa’s most iconic and vulnerable urban settlements, were at the Assembly to demand an immediate end to forced evictions and the systematic destruction of their homes.

The air was thick with emotion as demonstrators displayed large photographs showing the grim reality of the displacement. Images of leveled structures, children sleeping in the open, and elderly residents stranded by the waterside were held high for lawmakers to see. The crowd’s chants of “No Justice, No Peace” and “Makoko Is Not a Slum” echoed through the Alausa corridor, drawing significant public attention.

For decades, the Makoko community has faced the constant threat of demolition as Lagos State pursues its ambitious “Mega City” urban renewal projects. However, residents argue that these developments often come at the cost of the poor, leaving thousands of people homeless without providing viable alternatives or compensation.

The protesters explicitly called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene, urging the state government to halt further demolitions and transition from forceful evictions to a policy of inclusive dialogue. They emphasized that their community is not merely a collection of structures but a historical and cultural landmark that deserves preservation and upgrading rather than erasure.

Activists joined the residents at the front lines, condemning the state’s approach to urban planning. Several speakers at the scene described the current demolition exercises as inhumane and a blatant violation of basic human rights. They further alleged that the government was acting in defiance of existing court orders that specifically restrain forced evictions in several waterfront communities across the state.

The tension reached a breaking point when police officers stationed at the venue moved to break up the gathering. The deployment of tear gas canisters sent plumes of acrid smoke into the air, causing immediate physical distress to the protesters. Within seconds, the organized demonstration dissolved into a frantic rush for cover.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of absolute pandemonium. Protesters, many of whom were women and youth, were seen clutching their eyes and coughing violently as they fled toward the main roads. The chaos extended beyond the protesters, affecting nearby traders, office workers, and commuters who were caught in the crossfire of the police action.

Traffic around the Alausa area was briefly paralyzed as people scampered across the highway to avoid the stinging gas. Many protesters lost their belongings in the scramble, leaving behind discarded placards and personal items scattered across the pavement outside the Assembly gates.

Despite the heavy-handed response from security forces, the message of the Makoko people remains clear. They are demanding to be treated as stakeholders in the development of Lagos rather than obstacles to it. The “Consult the People” slogan used during the protest highlights a growing friction between the state’s top-down infrastructure goals and the lived realities of its most marginalized citizens.

As of Wednesday afternoon, a heavy police presence remained at the Assembly complex to prevent the crowd from regrouping. While the protest was effectively dispersed, the underlying issues of land rights, housing security, and social justice in the waterfront communities remain unresolved and continue to simmer beneath the surface of the city’s modern facade.

Human rights organizations have already begun reacting to the incident, calling for an investigation into the use of force against peaceful demonstrators. The Makoko residents, though temporarily silenced by the day’s events, have vowed to continue their struggle for the right to their homes, insisting that a city can only be truly “great” if it protects its most vulnerable inhabitants.

The Lagos State government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the specific incidents at the Assembly today or the status of the ongoing demolition exercises. However, the events in Ikeja serve as a stark reminder of the social costs of urban expansion and the desperate lengths to which citizens will go to protect their heritage and their homes.