Tension flared on Wednesday at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, after police officers dispersed protesters from the Makoko waterfront community with teargas during a demonstration against ongoing demolitions in the area.
Several protesters, including prominent activist and youth leader Hassan Taiwo Soweto, were arrested during the incident.
The protest drew displaced Makoko residents, civil society groups, and activists who marched to the Assembly complex to demand an immediate suspension of the demolitions, compensation for affected families, and strict adherence to the previously agreed 100-metre setback from high-tension power lines.
Protesters accused the Lagos State Government of exceeding the original scope of the exercise, alleging that demolitions had spread far beyond safety zones, resulting in the displacement of thousands of residents and deepening what they described as a growing humanitarian crisis.
Eyewitnesses said police officers fired multiple canisters of teargas to disperse the crowd and forcefully arrested several demonstrators. Some of those detained were reportedly dragged into the Assembly premises as the protest was broken up.
Hassan Soweto, the Lagos State coordinator of the #EndBadGovernance Movement, was among those arrested. Witnesses alleged that he was rough-handled by security operatives during the arrest.
Reacting to the incident, Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), criticised the response of security agencies, describing it as excessive.
According to her, protesters — including women — had gathered peacefully to seek dialogue with lawmakers but were instead met with force.
The protest follows an earlier demonstration held on January 15, during which the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Hon. Stephen Ogundipe Olukayode, reportedly assured demonstrators that the Assembly would intervene to halt the demolitions. Activists, however, claim that evictions continued despite the assurance.
The Makoko demolitions, which reportedly began in late December 2025, were initiated to clear structures around power transmission lines.
Rights groups say the exercise has led to the destruction of homes, schools, health centres, and places of worship, while raising concerns over the use of force by security operatives during enforcement.
Human rights organisations have continued to call on the state government to prioritise dialogue, humane resettlement plans, and compensation for affected residents.
