The Justice Empowerment Initiative, alongside the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation and other civil society organisations, has condemned the ongoing forced evictions of residents in Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro by the Lagos State Government.

In a joint statement released Friday, the groups warned that the evictions threaten thousands of residents with displacement, with no provision for resettlement, in violation of both court orders and Nigerian and international law.

The statement noted that residents had cooperated with the government during the first phase of demolition in December 2025, which cleared a 30-metre setback beneath a high-tension power line near the waterfront communities and the Third Mainland Bridge. Community leaders had assured residents that compensation would be provided for those affected.

According to a house numbering exercise conducted by Makoko youth between 2020 and 2021, supported by the Justice Empowerment Initiative and the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, Makoko alone has a population exceeding 80,000.

The organisations stressed that Makoko and its neighbouring settlements are not just residential areas but cultural landmarks that draw visitors worldwide for their unique architecture and vibrant community life.

They described the current evictions as particularly harsh, noting that many displaced residents have been forced to sleep in others’ homes or on open canoes, amid Nigeria’s worst economic challenges in decades. The groups characterised the demolitions as the harshest since the military era and called for an immediate halt to further evictions.

Other civil society organisations that signed the statement include the Centre for Children’s Health, Education, Orientation and Hope (CEE-HOPE), Global Rights, and the Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI). The statement urged authorities to respect the rights and dignity of affected communities and to implement sustainable solutions to prevent arbitrary displacement.