Lagos State Government begins demolition of Makoko shanties

A team of security agents led by government officials in Lagos started the demolition of a large waterfront settlement in Makoko, leaving hundreds of residents in the area homeless.

Our correspondent who was there to monitor the exercise reports that no official was available as at the time of the visit to comment on the action.
However, a resident who is affected by the demolition told our correspondent that residents were not adequately informed about the vacation order before the commencement of the exercise.
The Makoko slum is divided between land-based and waterfront areas, which consist of rows of shanties, built on the Lagos lagoon one of the world’s largest cities with an estimated population of roughly 15 million.
Reports reaching us stated that on July 12, the Lagos State Government alerted Makoko residents warning on the environmental nuisance their illegal structures caused for the state government and an eviction notice and removal of these illegal structures was issued giving the residents of Makoko and Iwaya Waterfront 72 hours grace by the Lagos state ministry of waterfront, infrastructure and development.