The Coalition against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land grabbing and Displacement has said that it stands in solidarity with the network of waterfront communities across Lagos, demanding the reversal of the unconstitutional and illegal demolitions and forced eviction of tens of thousands of waterfront dwellers in violation of subsisting court orders from 2023-2026.

The coalition stated that on June 21, 2017, Justice Onigbanjo of the Lagos State High Court gave his final judgment in a case brought by waterfront communities across Lagos, including a perpetual injunction restraining the Lagos State government and the Lagos State Police Command from carrying out further demolitions without consultations and resettlement.

The group added that the High Court pronounced that demolitions of long-established communities without such protections, as in the brutal demolitions of Otodo Gbame (November 2016-April 2017), violated the right to dignity enshrined in Section 34 of the Nigerian Constitution.

The coalition further said that the Lagos State government appealed the judgment in 2017, but the courts have refused to suspend the final judgment, which remains fully in force while the case is on appeal.

But in violation of these protective court orders, the coalition said from 2023 to 2026, the Lagos State government has systematically carried out mass forced evictions of waterfront communities from Oworonshoki (July 2023 and September 2025-January 2026) to Ilaje Otumara (March 2025), Makoko, Sogunro, and Oko Agbon (December 2025-January 2026) to Baba and Ayetoro (September 2024) and Ago Egun Bariga (January 2026).

“On 22 June 2026, the waterfront communities brought these facts to the attention of the Court of Appeal. The presiding Justice Folashade Ojo expressed concern at the Lagos State government appearing to violate a subsisting court order and asked the lawyer
representing the Lagos State government to restate the final orders of the lower court.

“When the Lagos State government claimed not to be aware of any such violations, the presiding judge asked him to go back to the notice and make his enquiries very well. At the next adjourned date in January 2027, the waterfront communities will be moving the court for reversal of all the unconstitutional demolitions in violation of court orders, through a series of court orders for the illegally demolished communities to be rebuilt.

“We call on all residents of Lagos State and the nation to stand with the waterfront communities to demand justice and accountability in the face of rampant impunity and executive lawlessness. We must not allow disrespect of court orders and impunity push
us into hopelessness. We must stand up and continue the struggle. A luta continua!”