By BONIFACE AKARAH

Former Minister of Education and founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, has issued an Open Memorandum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, calling for an immediate halt to ongoing demolitions in Makoko, Lagos, and warning that the exercise constitutes a violation of constitutional rights and an abuse of state power.

The memorandum, dated January 19, 2026, describes the demolitions as state-sanctioned displacement of poor communities, raising concerns over citizenship, due process, governance, and the humanitarian fallout from the exercise.

Alleged Expansion Beyond Safety Limits

According to Ezekwesili, Lagos State officials had initially informed Makoko community leaders that the demolitions would be limited to a 30–50 metre safety corridor beneath high-tension power lines crossing the lagoon, a justification presented as a public safety measure.

However, she stated that demolitions later extended far beyond the agreed limits, allegedly reaching distances of 277 to 522 metres, affecting residential areas, schools, clinics, and sources of livelihood.

“A government that changes the rules mid-exercise and widens demolition boundaries without notice is not enforcing the law but abusing power,” the memorandum stated.

Citizenship and Class Concerns

Ezekwesili rejected the characterisation of Makoko residents as squatters, describing them as citizens who work, vote, raise families, and contribute to the Lagos economy through fishing, trade, and informal enterprise.

She argued that poverty has been used to nullify citizenship rights, framing the demolitions as a form of class-based exclusion rather than legitimate urban planning.

“What is happening in Makoko is not about safety or development but a deliberate removal of the poor from valuable land,” she wrote.

Reported Casualties and Humanitarian Crisis

The memorandum cited reports that at least four residents were killed during the demolition exercise, describing the situation as a humanitarian emergency.

Thousands of residents, including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, were reportedly rendered homeless, with many sleeping in the open and exposed to weather, disease, and insecurity. Ezekwesili noted that children had been pulled out of school and livelihoods destroyed overnight.

She warned that continued silence by the Federal Government in the face of the crisis would amount to complicity.

Constitutional and Legal Issues Raised

Ezekwesili argued that the demolitions violated constitutional guarantees of human dignity, fair hearing, and social justice, stating that even where governments enforce planning regulations, they are obligated to provide shelter, compensation, and protection for displaced citizens.

She also criticised the absence of emergency housing and support following the demolitions, describing the situation as inhumane and unlawful.

Six Demands to Federal and State Governments

In the memorandum, Ezekwesili listed six demands directed at the Federal and Lagos State Governments

An immediate halt to all demolitions and evictions in Makoko.

Public disclosure of the legal authority and planning standards governing power-line setbacks.

Emergency shelter and humanitarian support for displaced residents, including housing, water, sanitation, healthcare, and protection for vulnerable groups.

Compensation and livelihood support for affected families.

A transparent, participatory process for long-term solutions prioritising secure tenure and in-situ urban upgrading.

Public accountability for officials involved in demolitions beyond lawful limits and the use of force against civilians.

Warning on Poverty and Governance

Ezekwesili warned that a nation with over 133 million people living in multidimensional poverty, according to data she attributed to the National Bureau of Statistics, risks losing moral legitimacy if it criminalises poverty while celebrating wealth.

She urged both leaders to “choose justice” and begin corrective action with immediate relief for displaced Makoko families, stressing that the situation was “fiercely urgent.”

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