Hunger, deaths in wake of demolitions at Makoko, Sogunro
SKAiF NewsNG SNN
By Elizabeth Osayande
As the demolition of buildings within 100 meters of the power line continues in the Makoko waterfront community, residents have taken to the streets pleading for food, clothing, and assistance for survival.
Reports have emerged alleging that the ongoing demolition has resulted in the deaths of two children and a woman. In a distressing SOS message shared with our correspondent, a resident, who requested to remain anonymous, stated, “Mummy, another woman has been shot now. I went outside to get food. Many of us, especially the orphans, don’t have anything to eat. We are finished, ma.”
Another resident from Sogunro, a suburb of Iwaya that borders Makoko, has also pleaded for help: “Our homes have been demolished. Since morning, we have not eaten. Please, find us something, even if it is N2,000, so that we can eat.”
Human rights groups call for a halt to demolitions
Three prominent civil society organisations — the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) — have condemned the Lagos State Government for what they describe as brutal and unconstitutional demolitions at the Makoko waterfront. They claim these actions have led to the deaths of two babies and a 70-year-old woman.
According to the groups, more than 10,000 residents have been displaced, with a community youth leader reportedly arrested. In a joint press statement released on Tuesday, the organisationss highlighted that the demolitions illustrate a disturbing trend of disregard for the constitutional rights to life, housing, and dignity among marginalisedd residents in Lagos.
Nnimmo Bassey, Director of HOMEF, condemned the operation, stating that it represents a violent assault on the urban poor. “We see these latest attacks on vulnerable populations as the most violent manifestations of the Lagos State government’s contempt for those it treats as human scrap to be cleared for elite profit. The thuggish arrest of community members and the forced displacement of families who have always called Makoko home underscores the helplessness of struggling Nigerians. This state campaign of land-grabbing and displacement is reprehensible and must be stopped,” Bassey asserted.
Lagos state government defends demolition for public safety
In response, the Lagos State Government defended the ongoing demolition exercise in Makoko, despite the low turnout at a planned protest against the action. Reports indicate that the protesters, primarily composed of youths, carried placards with messages such as, “Please hear our cry,” “Maintain 100 meters,” “Protect our homes, save our families,” and “Immediate stop to demolition beyond 100 meters.”
Mr Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary of the Office of Urban Development, stated that those opposing the demolition are residents who refuse to vacate areas designated for removal. “There is no problem with Makoko,” Oki explained.
“The people of Makoko have been united in this matter. We have been discussing this for the last five years, holding meetings and begging them to comply. Those making noise now are the stubborn individuals who do not want to leave the area. The law stipulates a 10100-meterlearance from the power line.”
He emphasised that the government is acting in the interest of public safety, cautioning that residents would be held responsible if a power line were to fall into the water.
The post Hunger, deaths in wake of demolitions at Makoko, Sogunro appeared first on Vanguard News.
