It said the exercise has resulted in loss of lives, destruction of livelihoods, displacement of families and the deepening of trauma and destitution among already vulnerable Lagosians.
The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (GAFAMORG) has condemned the anti-poor and lawless actions of the Lagos State Government following the forced demolition of homes, shelters and workshops belonging to poor and working-class residents in Owode-Onírín, Oworonshoki and Makoko communities of the state.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by its Chairman, Babatunde Agunbiade, and shared through the organisation’s Public Relations Officer, Comrade Adeoye Ade-Adewunmi, GAFAMORG demanded the immediate and unconditional release of activist Hassan Taiwo Soweto, along with all other protesters detained during demonstrations against the demolitions.
The organisation said the demolitions were conducted without proper notice, lacked meaningful engagement with the affected communities, and provided neither alternative accommodation nor compensation to those displaced.
It said the exercise has resulted in loss of lives, destruction of livelihoods, displacement of families and the deepening of trauma and destitution among already vulnerable Lagosians.
GAFAMORG explained what has taken place in Owode-Onírín, Oworonshoki and Makoko is nothing short of state-sponsored violence against the poor.
The organisation said, “These demolitions were carried out without adequate notice, without humane engagement, without provision for alternative accommodation, and without compensation. As a result, lives were lost, livelihoods destroyed, families displaced, and entire communities thrown into trauma and destitution. This is nothing but state-sponsored violence against the poor.”
The organisation accused the Lagos State Government of waging a war against the poor through policies and actions that prioritise profit, urban renewal for elites and commercial interests over the basic rights and welfare of ordinary residents who form the backbone of the city’s economy.
According to the statement, victims of the evictions, alongside activists and concerned citizens, had embarked on peaceful protests to express their grievances and demand justice, only to be met with brutal force by security agencies.
“To worsen this already wicked and callous injustice, peaceful protesters – themselves victims of these demolitions – were violently attacked by state forces while lawfully exercising their constitutional right to protest,” the group stated.
“Protesters were teargassed, brutalized, shot at with live ammunition, arrested, and whisked away to unknown locations."
GAFAMORG disclosed that during the crackdown, one protester was shot in the leg, while a woman reportedly lost contact with her baby amid the chaos and stampede triggered by police violence.
It described the incidents as unacceptable and incompatible with the claims of democracy often made by the authorities.
“During this repression, a protester was shot in the leg, while a woman reportedly lost contact with her baby during the ensuing stampede caused by police violence. This level of brutality against unarmed citizens is unacceptable in any society that claims to be democratic,” they added.
Among those arrested during the protest is Hassan Taiwo Soweto, a leading member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and spokesperson for the #EndBadGovernance Movement in Lagos.
Soweto and others were arrested while protesting at the Lagos State House of Assembly against the demolitions and forced evictions.
GAFAMORG described Soweto’s continued detention, alongside that of other protesters, as a clear case of the criminalisation of dissent and the persecution of the poor.
“Their continued detention amounts to the criminalization of dissent and the persecution of the poor,” the group said.
The organisation outlined a set of clear demands, insisting on immediate action by the Lagos State Government and relevant authorities.
These include the immediate and unconditional release of Hassan Taiwo Soweto and all protesters and activists arrested for participating in the peaceful demonstrations.
GAFAMORG also demanded an immediate halt to all demolitions and forced evictions of homes, shelters and workplaces of poor and working-class Lagosians, as well as adequate compensation for all victims whose properties and livelihoods have been destroyed.
The statement read, "Immediate and unconditional release of Hassan Taiwo Soweto and all protesters and activists arrested for participating in the peaceful protest.
"An immediate halt to all demolitions and forced evictions of homes, shelters, and workplaces of poor and working-class Lagosians.
"Adequate compensation for all victims of these unjust demolitions. Provision of alternative housing, shelters, and workspaces for displaced persons and affected communities.
"An end to all anti-poor, anti-people policies of the Lagos State Government that prioritize profit and elitist interests over human dignity. Accountability for security agencies involved in the shooting, brutality, and illegal arrests of peaceful protesters.”
"We remind the Lagos State Government that housing is a human right, not a privilege, and protest is a constitutional right, not a crime. A government that demolishes the homes of the poor and jails those who protest such injustice has lost all moral legitimacy," GAFAMORG added
While speaking on the legacy of the late human rights lawyer and activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), the organisation warned against silence in the face of injustice, describing it as complicity.
GAFAMORG also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), student unions, market associations, community organisations, human rights groups and civil society organisations to rise in solidarity with the affected communities and detained protesters.
“This is not just about Makoko, Oworonshoki or Owode-Onírín. An injury to one is an injury to all. The systematic oppression of the poor in Lagos State concerns every worker, student and oppressed person,” it said.
The organisation vowed that the struggle against forced eviction, repression and anti-poor governance would continue until justice is secured, insisting that the memory and ideals of Fawehinmi demand nothing less.