A coalition of community groups and civil society organisations has backed waterfront residents in Lagos seeking the reversal of demolitions and forced evictions carried out in defiance of existing court orders.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Coalition against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Landgrabbing and Displacement in Lagos State said it stood in solidarity with a network of waterfront communities that gathered at the Court of Appeal on Lagos Island to challenge what it described as the unconstitutional demolition of communities and displacement of tens of thousands of residents between 2023 and 2026.
The coalition argued that the demolitions violated a subsisting judgment delivered by the Lagos State High Court on June 21, 2017.
According to the statement, Justice Onigbanjo had issued a final judgment in a case involving waterfront communities across Lagos, granting a perpetual injunction restraining the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Police Command from carrying out further demolitions without consultations and resettlement.
The court also held that the demolition of long-established communities without such safeguards, including the demolition of Otodo Gbame between November 2016 and April 2017, violated the right to dignity guaranteed under Section 34 of the Constitution.
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Although the Lagos State Government appealed the judgment in 2017, the coalition noted that the courts had not suspended the ruling and that it remained in force while the appeal was pending.
The coalition alleged that despite the judgment, the state government carried out mass evictions in several waterfront communities, including Oworonshoki, Ilaje Otumara, Makoko, Sogunro, Oko Agbon, Baba, Ayetoro and Ago Egun Bariga between 2023 and 2026.
It said the affected communities brought the matter before the Court of Appeal on June 22, 2026.
According to the coalition, the presiding judge, Justice Folashade Ojo, expressed concern over allegations that the Lagos State Government had violated a subsisting court order and asked the government’s lawyer to restate the final orders issued by the lower court.
The statement further said that when the government’s counsel claimed not to be aware of any such violations, the judge directed him to make further enquiries.
The coalition said the communities would return to court at the next adjourned hearing in January 2027 to seek orders reversing the demolitions allegedly carried out in breach of court rulings.
“At the next adjourned date in January 2027, the waterfront communities will be moving the court for reversal of all the unconstitutional demolitions in violation of court orders, through a series of court orders for the illegally demolished communities to be rebuilt,” the statement said.
The coalition called on Lagos residents and Nigerians to support the affected communities in their quest for justice and accountability.
“We call on all residents of Lagos State and the nation to stand with the waterfront communities to demand justice and accountability in the face of rampant impunity and executive lawlessness,” it said.
The group added, “We must not allow disrespect of court orders and impunity to push us into hopelessness. We must stand up and continue the struggle. A luta continua!”
Alex is a business journalist cum data enthusiast with the Pinnacle Daily. He can be reached via ealex@thepinnacleng.com, @ehime_alex on X