Makoko, a historic floating fishing community in Lagos, has been thrown into crisis following an ongoing demolition exercise by the Lagos State Government, leaving thousands of residents homeless. Entire rows of wooden homes and shops have been pulled down, forcing families—many of them women, children, widows and the elderly—to sleep in canoes, under open skies and along the lagoon. Residents say the demolitions have not only destroyed their homes but also wiped out their means of livelihood, as fishing, trading and small-scale businesses operated from the waterfront have been disrupted.
Several residents told DAILY POST that demolition activities began quietly in parts of Makoko in December 2025 and gradually expanded deeper into the community without meaningful engagement or dialogue. A community elder, Sunday Adebayo, said the operation intensified in January, with houses pulled down daily. Fishermen and traders said they lost nets, canoes, cash savings, goods and household items during the exercise, plunging families into hunger and economic hardship. Many residents said Makoko is the only home they have known, with generations of their families living in the community for decades.
Displaced residents also alleged that no temporary shelter or Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp has been provided by the state government, leaving them exposed to harsh weather and health risks. They said children have fallen ill due to cold, mosquito bites and poor living conditions, while some families have been turned away by relatives because they lack resources. Residents further claimed that in some instances demolitions were carried out at night, with bulldozers moving in while people were asleep. “They came at night. People were shouting, children were crying, but nobody listened,” one resident said, describing the experience as traumatic.