Makoko Demolitions Violate Court Orders – Falana Faults Sanwo-Olu’s Govt

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the Lagos State Government to immediately halt what he described as unlawful and unconstitutional demolitions of waterfront properties across the state, warning that the actions amount to executive overreach and contempt of court.

Naijaonpoint reports that Falana made the call in a statement on Sunday, citing several subsisting court orders that restrain the state government from forcibly evicting residents or demolishing structures in waterfront communities such as Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro and Iwaya.

The senior lawyer recalled that on June 22, 2017, a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo (now retired), ruled that previous evictions carried out by the state government in the affected communities were illegal.

According to Falana, the court held that the forced evictions rendered more than 30,000 residents homeless and amounted to a gross violation of their fundamental human rights.

He noted that the court subsequently awarded N3.5 million in damages as reparations to the affected residents.

Falana further stated that the court explicitly ordered the Lagos State Government to desist from carrying out any further demolitions or evictions in waterfront communities.

He warned that failure to comply with the ruling could expose the homes of about 270,000 residents to destruction under the guise of urban renewal.

“The court ordered the state government to stop further evictions and demolitions, which could have safeguarded the homes of over 270,000 residents,” Falana said.

The rights lawyer added that the court also directed the state government to engage in meaningful consultations with affected communities on issues of resettlement, in line with the government’s own urban development and housing policies.

He stressed that any development initiative that disregards court orders and the rights of vulnerable communities undermines the rule of law.

Lagos Govt Defends Demolitions

However, the Lagos State Government has defended the demolitions in Makoko and other waterfront settlements, insisting that the actions were necessary to protect lives and promote environmental safety.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, following an engagement between government officials and residents, the state said the interventions were aimed at preventing disasters and positioning Lagos as a resilient and sustainable megacity.

Responding to criticisms that the demolitions targeted the poor, Omotoso said the exercise was not anti-poor but driven by safety, environmental protection and security considerations.

He explained that many of the affected structures were built beneath high-tension power lines or along critical waterways, posing serious risks to lives and infrastructure.

“No responsible government can permit habitation under power cables or blockages along waterways,” Omotoso said.