The Nigerian police fired tear gas on Wednesday to disperse protesters demonstrating against ongoing demolitions in Makoko, one of Africa’s largest floating slums.
The protest erupted after Lagos State authorities, backed by armed police and heavy machinery, continued tearing down homes, displacing thousands of residents.
Officials said the structures were illegally built close to high-voltage power lines, posing safety risks.
Most demolished houses are wooden homes on stilts above the water, making the riverine community highly vulnerable.
Eyewitnesses reported that over 1,000 residents marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly to demand government intervention.
Protesters refused police orders to disperse and insisted on being addressed by the governor. Tear gas was eventually deployed, and one demonstrator sustained a leg injury and was hospitalized.
Makoko, established as a fishing settlement over a century ago, is home to tens of thousands of low-income residents.
Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, faces a severe housing shortage, which has fueled the growth of informal settlements like Makoko.
