Court halts demolitions in Makoko, others, awards N3.5bn damages against LASG, police

The Federal High Court in Lagos has issued a landmark judgment restraining the Lagos State Government, its agencies, and the Nigeria Police Force from carrying out further demolitions or evictions in the Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro, and Iwaya waterfront communities.

Delivering the verdict in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/70/2025, Justice F.N. Ogazi granted a perpetual injunction to protect the settlements, citing the “continuous threat and fear of imminent demolition” faced by residents.

The court ordered all respondents to desist from any actions or threats aimed at displacing the communities.

The ruling comes after years of tension between the waterfront residents—predominantly Gunuvi (Egun) fisherfolk—and the Lagos State Government.

Community leaders have accused the state of forcefully acquiring their ancestral land for private real estate development without offering compensation or resettlement.

According to the community’s counsel, Barrister Femi F. Dodo, the disputed land had been allocated to FBT Coral Limited for the construction of luxury apartments, a project residents say would erase their heritage and destroy their fishing-based livelihoods.

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In a major victory for the affected communities, the court also awarded N3.5 billion in damages against the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force.

The compensation covers prior demolitions, sustained threats, and the unlawful killing of a community leader during past enforcement operations.

Justice Ogazi further ordered the police to refrain from harassing or obstructing local fishermen engaging in their traditional work on the Lagos Lagoon.

The judgment is being hailed by rights groups as a significant step toward protecting the rights of indigenous communities in Lagos, where urban expansion and waterfront development projects have increasingly displaced long-established settlements.