Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – A peacebuilding and human rights organisation warns that ongoing demolitions in Lagos’ Makoko waterfront community risk triggering a humanitarian and social crisis unless urgently reviewed.
The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) raises the alarm amid reports that homes are being pulled down without adequate safeguards, consultation or resettlement plans, leaving families abruptly displaced.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat on Sunday, the group acknowledges the Lagos State Government’s authority to enforce urban planning and safety laws but insists that enforcement must be humane.
“Women and children are the most affected. The situation could escalate into a broader humanitarian emergency if urgent steps are not taken,” Hamzat says.
PeacePro describes Makoko as a historic community whose residents have lived and worked along the lagoon for generations, arguing that the settlement reflects decades of policy neglect rather than deliberate illegality.
According to the group, residents were not meaningfully consulted before the demolitions, nor were compensation or resettlement options clearly communicated.
“Urban development must not be pursued through shock enforcement. When planning intervention produces homelessness overnight, it ceases to be development and becomes displacement,” Hamzat adds.
The organisation calls for an immediate suspension of further demolitions and demands transparent dialogue between authorities and affected residents.
Makoko, largely inhabited by low-income fishermen and informal workers, has experienced repeated eviction threats over the years, with past exercises displacing thousands.
PeacePro warns that sustainable urban renewal in Lagos can only succeed through inclusion, fairness and clear resettlement frameworks, noting that forced displacement erodes public trust and deepens urban poverty.
As of Sunday, the Lagos State Government has yet to formally respond to the group’s concerns.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
Oluwatobi Adu