The controversy surrounding the demolition of structures in Makoko and other waterfront communities by the Lagos State Government escalated on Wednesday as residents staged a protest against the exercise.
The protesters said the demonstration was to draw attention to what they described as land grabbing, forceful evictions, and the displacement of vulnerable communities across Lagos State. Tension heightened when police deployed teargas to disperse the crowd, triggering panic among demonstrators.
Several protesters reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury while fleeing as teargas was fired, prompting allegations that security operatives also used live ammunition during the operation.
A community leader who participated in the protest, Jude Ojo, alleged that police fired gunshots in addition to teargas, claiming that an unidentified protester sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and was rushed to a hospital. The Lagos State Police Command has, however, strongly denied the allegation.
Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Ojo maintained that the protesters were peaceful and posed no threat to public safety.
“We were not carrying guns or sticks. We are harmless, and your policemen were around. Why are you afraid?” he asked.
Ojo said the protesters resorted to a peaceful sit-in after they were denied access to their destination.
“We said that if you were not going to attend to us or allow us to come in, we would sit down until you were ready to give us attention. The next thing we experienced was gunshots and teargas. A man was shot in the leg and rushed to the hospital. I don’t know his name, but it should be shown on camera,” he said.
Describing the incident as deeply disappointing, Ojo said it fell short of democratic expectations.
“I was teargassed and everyone started running helter-skelter, trying to find an escape route. These are the people we voted for. Is this the democracy we yearned for?” he asked.
Responding, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, denied that officers fired live ammunition at the protesters, insisting that only teargas was used to restore order.
“No gun was fired. I was there. I appealed to them to remain peaceful, but they continued to hurl abuses at me. As a police officer, I am trained to work under pressure, so I did not react,” Jimoh said.
He disclosed that the police reached out to the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly to help defuse the situation.
“We contacted the leadership of the House of Assembly, who promptly — despite being on recess — sent five honourable members to appeal to the protesters. Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears because their intention was to gain access to the Assembly complex and cause mayhem, which we would not allow,” he said.
Addressing claims that a protester sustained a gunshot wound, Jimoh said any injuries recorded may have occurred as protesters fled the scene following the deployment of teargas.
“When teargas is fired, people run to leave the area, and injuries can occur in the process. To our records, no gunshot injury was reported to the police during the operation, particularly after warnings were issued that force would be used if the crowd refused to disperse,” he stated.
He added that one of the protest organisers later reported an alleged bullet injury to the area commander, who examined the wound and determined that it was not caused by a firearm.
While acknowledging citizens’ constitutional rights to protest and freedom of expression, Jimoh described the demonstrators as an “unknown group” chanting war songs and posing a potential security threat.
Lagos Government Defends Demolitions
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has defended the demolition of structures in Makoko and other waterfront communities, insisting that the exercise was carried out in the interest of public safety and security.
Government officials who spoke during Ask Lagos, a weekly X-Space engagement designed to foster dialogue between the government and residents, said the demolitions were necessary to protect lives and property.
According to the officials, the affected structures posed serious safety, environmental, and security risks, particularly those erected beneath high-tension power lines and along critical waterways.
Responding to criticism that the exercise was “anti-poor” and unnecessary, a government spokesperson, Omotoso, dismissed the claims, stressing that the demolitions were preventive rather than punitive.
“No responsible government anywhere in the world can allow people to live directly under high-tension cables or obstruct vital waterways,” Omotoso said. “These actions are not meant to punish anyone. They are preventive — to protect lives, avert disasters, and secure the future of Lagos as a sustainable megacity.”
