Human rights groups, activists, and social media users condemned the Lagos State Police Command and the state government on Wednesday over the arrest and use of force against residents protesting demolitions of their homes.
The protest, which drew hundreds of residents from Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode-Onirin, Oko Baba, and other communities, escalated after police deployed tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Ikeja. Protesters carried placards with slogans such as “A megacity cannot be built on the bones and blood of the poor,” “Urban poor is not a crime,” “Stop killing us,” and “Justice for Owode-Onirin traders,” while chanting solidarity songs.
The march began in the morning and gathered momentum at the Ikeja Under Bridge before proceeding toward the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa. Protesters demanded compensation for previous demolitions and proper relocation plans if their homes were to be razed.
At the Assembly gate, Commissioner of Police Moshood Jimoh stopped the demonstrators from entering the legislative complex. Protest leaders insisted on dialogue inside the Assembly, rejecting offers from lawmakers to speak outside. Tensions escalated as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, causing panic and injuries.
Several people were hurt, including journalists covering the protest. Sulaiman Adeniyi, collapsed after inhaling tear gas fumes, while a nursing mother shielded her baby as she fled. One protester suffered a leg injury from a tear gas canister. Some police officers were also seen retreating amid the chaos.
In an interview with News Central Television, Jimoh defended the action, saying protesters blocked a public highway and endangered lives. “Peaceful protest is allowed, but when it blocks a public highway, it becomes dangerous to lives, including those of the protesters themselves,” he said. “After four lawmakers addressed them and they still refused to disperse, I warned them to leave the highway. We used minimal force—tear gas—so millions of Nigerians who use that road could go to work.”
Activist Yemi Adamolekun, who attended the protest, disputed the police account, describing the demonstrators as peaceful. “They were calm, and at the point tear gas was fired, they were being asked to sit down so water and snacks could be shared. The police had already blocked the lane closest to the Assembly. These people are homeless—where exactly do you expect them to go? Saying they blocked the road is false,” she said.
