Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday, raised concerns over the alleged use of expired teargas canisters by Police operatives during last week’s protest against illegal demolitions and forced evictions in the Makoko waterfront area of Lagos.

This came as the Lagos State government, yesterday, explained that the demolition of structures in Makoko was aimed at protecting lives and preventing potential disasters in the area.

Similarly, the House of Assembly has invited stakeholders and leaders of communities of Makoko and adjoining waterfront settlements to a crucial meeting on Tuesday.

Recall that a protest, organised by activists, Mr Hassan Taiwo, popularly known as Soweto, and Mr Dele Frank, was aimed at drawing the attention of the Lagos State government to alleged unlawful demolitions and forced evictions at waterfront communities.

The demonstration was initially peaceful but reportedly turned violent after police operatives fired teargas at close range.

Several protesters sustained injuries, an action that has since drawn condemnation from human rights groups and civil society organisations.

Meanwhile, Falana, who spoke at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, during a visit to protesters injured in the incident, described the police action as unconstitutional, dangerous and a violation of citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.

At LASUTH, the rights activist was briefed on the condition of Mrs Kafayat Muftaudeen, one of the injured protesters, by a Burns and Plastic Nurse, Mr Adedeji Hassan.

Hassan said Mrs Muftaudeen, who sustained a severe leg injury, was being discharged but would continue treatment through regular wound dressing and weekly hospital visits before undergoing surgery.

“She is fit to go home and will be coming to the hospital weekly for dressing,” Hassan said, adding that she would later undergo skin grafting once the wound had healed.

Reacting to the injuries he observed, Falana described them as unusual and alarming, adding that in over 40 years of participating in protests across the country, he had never seen teargas canisters cause such severe injuries.

“In my over 40 years of participating in protests across the country, I have never seen tear gas canisters cause such severe injuries. The injury I have seen is not normal,” Falana said.

The senior lawyer stressed that the 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, adding that Nigerians do not require police permits to protest.

According to Falana, the Police Establishment Act only requires protest organisers to notify the police, who are then duty-bound to provide security.

He said the organisers complied with the law, noting that police officers escorted the protesters peacefully from Ikeja Under Bridge to Alausa Secretariat.

Victims’ll be compensated, says Lagos govt

Meanwhile, Lagos State government, yesterday, explained that the demolition of structures being carried out in parts of Makoko is aimed at protecting lives and prevent potential disasters in the area.

Speaking at a joint ministerial press briefing yesterday, in Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; the Governor’s Special Adviser on E-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Babatunde Olajide; and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, said the state has a responsibility to safeguard residents, provided such actions do not infringe on the rights of others.

Mr Omotoso disclosed that many of the wooden buildings erected on the waterfront were situated directly beneath high-tension power cables, posing serious risks to occupants.

He noted that the decision to clear the affected structures was taken in the best interest of public safety and to preserve the dignity of residents living in hazardous conditions.

Also speaking, Mr Olajide stated that the Oworosonki demolition had spanned over 10 years of planning before the eventual demolition was carried out.

On the Makoko exercise, Olajide described the removal of buildings within high-tension corridors as part of a statewide safety programme.

He said: “Mr Governor committed $2m and we are expecting $8m counterpart funding from the United Nations. But I’m sure we all know what is happening today that funds are no longer available from most of those donor agencies.

“So we are left with the water city project and we have committed $2m to it. It is the only one that is environmentally friendly.

“The exact location of the Makoko water city project is where the fishing community is. So, it has not been tampered with. Anywhere taken out is only the areas within the high-tension corridor.

“I can assure that through the benevolence of Mr Governor, Makoko displaced residents will be compensated. We are already in the process of enumeration. First thing is to save lives above other considerations.

“They (occupants) have been properly engaged on the redevelopment project of Makoko. There is an international task force, with the UN, working on the implementation of the project. Even a private firm has approached the state government to build schools in Makoko.”

Lagos Assembly summons Makoko community

Meanwhile, Lagos State House of Assembly has invited stakeholders and leaders of communities affected by the recent demolition in Makoko and adjoining waterfront settlements to a crucial meeting today.

The Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, said the meeting was in response to a petition submitted by the communities over the demolition and eviction of residents.

Mr Onafeko, in a letter addressed to the community leaders, reads: “I write to acknowledge the receipt of your petition dated January 14, 2026, on the above subject and invite you to a meeting with the Committee on Rules and Business on February 3, 2026, at the 2nd Floor, Chamber’s Conference Room, Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja, by 10 a.m.”

“You are requested to kindly attend the meeting along with heads of the communities as well as relevant documents that would facilitate fruitful deliberations.”

Rights group condemns act

Meanwhile, the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, CHSR, has called for investigations into the killings of six traders in the Owode Onirin area of Lagos State in August 2025 by suspected miscreants.

Addressing newsmen at the International Press Centre, IPC, Ogba, Lagos, on the recent protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly, the President of CHSR, Mr Alex Omotehinse, said that the people have rights to protest.

Omoteshinse said: “We demand an independent investigation into the killing of the six Owode Onirin traders and killings in all other affected communities across the state.

“We also want the prosecution of every individual and all accomplices involved in the killings across all the affected communities in the state and an end to police interference in lawful civic coalitions and protests.

“We also want justice, compensation, and restoration for all demolished affected communities.

“We unequivocally condemn the use of intimidation, coercion, and manipulation aimed at isolating Owode Onirin marketers from the legitimate and organic assembly who trooped out in their thousands to protest illegal demolition, forced eviction, economic destruction, and the cold blooded killing of six Owode Onirin able bodied young men on August 27, 2025, and killings of innocent citizens across the state during the evil demolition and eviction in affected demolished communities.”

“Peaceful protest is a constitutional right. Victims of demolition are citizens, not enemies, and civil society organisations are partners in democracy, not adversaries”, he said. (Vanguard)

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