Chaos as Lagos Police fire tear gas over Makoko demolition protesters

By Elegbede Abiodun

On Wednesday, men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command fired tear gas to disperse residents protesting demolitions in Makoko and Iyana-Oworo.

The demonstration, which drew hundreds of residents to the Lagos State House of Assembly complex in Ikeja, quickly turned chaotic when police began deploying teargas around 1:30 pm. Workers, passersby, and protesters fled the scene in panic.

Eyewitnesses reported multiple injuries, though organizers have not yet confirmed casualty figures.

Protesters carried banners calling on the government to halt the demolitions, urging authorities to “save our homes” and “protect our communities.”

The RRS officers were stationed strategically around the Assembly complex, preventing access and controlling the crowd amid rising tensions.