Nigerian Police Disperse Makoko Slum Protesters with Tear Gas Amid Evictions

Protests Erupt in Makoko Slum

• ✊ Residents of Makoko, one of Africa's largest floating slums, protested demolitions in Lagos.
• ⚡ Nigerian police deployed tear gas to disperse over a thousand demonstrators marching towards the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Demolitions and Displacement

• 🏗️ Excavators and armed police have been tearing down stilt homes in the historic Makoko waterfront community.
• 💔 Thousands of residents have been displaced, fleeing as their homes were destroyed.

Official Justifications for Demolition

• ⚡ Authorities claim residents built houses near high voltage power lines.
• ⚠️ Public health concerns and urban renewal plans have also been cited as reasons for the demolitions.

Housing Shortage and Informal Settlements

• 🏙️ Lagos, a megacity with over 20 million people, faces a severe housing shortage, leading to the proliferation of informal and illegal settlements.
• ⚖️ An NGO representative stated that the state criminalizes informal communities and should build cities that are acceptable to everyone.

Makoko's History and Residents' Determination

• 🎣 Makoko originated as a fishing village over 100 years ago, with an estimated population of 80 to 200,000 people.
• 👴 A 75-year-old fisherman, Dossawa Isaac, expressed that all his possessions were destroyed but is determined to remain in Makoko as an elder, stating, "If I die, they must bury me there."