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Makoko: When Urban Renewal Becomes a Humanitarian DisasterBy Kome Odhomor
Makoko: When Urban Renewal Becomes a Humanitarian Disaster
By Kome Odhomor
By any standard of governance, the ongoing demolition of homes in Makoko, Lagos, is deeply troubling. What is unfolding in this historic waterfront community is not merely an urban planning exercise; it is a humanitarian crisis created by policy choices that appear to ignore human dignity, due process, and the lived realities of the urban poor.
Makoko, a century-old fishing settlement overlooking the Third Mainland Bridge, is home to hundreds of thousands of residents whose lives are intricately tied to the Lagos Lagoon. For generations, fishing has sustained families, funded education, and anchored a resilient community. Yet, since late December 2025, demolition squads backed by armed security operatives have reduced large sections of the community to rubble, displacing families without prior consultation, adequate notice, or clear resettlement plans.
The justification offered by the authorities—that structures near power transmission lines pose safety risks—might appear reasonable at face value. However, the manner of execution raises serious questions. Residents insist that demolitions extended far beyond the agreed safety corridor of 100 metres, sweeping away homes, schools, clinics, and places of worship. By the time civil society organisations visited the area, hundreds of structures had already been destroyed, rendering thousands homeless.
More disturbing are the human stories emerging from Makoko. Families speak of homes destroyed without warning, belongings lost, and nights spent sleeping in canoes on the lagoon. There are accounts of teargas deployment during demolition, fires consuming buildings, and the tragic deaths of children and vulnerable persons amid the chaos. These are not statistics; they are lives irreversibly altered by state action.
Makoko’s plight is not new. Like many informal settlements in Lagos, the community has long lived under the shadow of eviction, often linked to the city’s mega-city ambitions. The memory of the Maroko demolitions of the 1990s—when over 300,000 people were displaced—still lingers as a painful reminder of how urban development can be pursued without regard for social justice. To see a similar pattern repeating itself decades later is both disappointing and alarming.
Urban renewal is not inherently wrong. Cities must evolve, infrastructure must be protected, and safety concerns must be addressed. But development that destroys livelihoods, displaces families without alternatives, and deepens inequality cannot be described as progress. A government committed to inclusive growth must recognise that housing is not a privilege, but a right, and that the urban poor are stakeholders, not obstacles, in city planning.
Today, Makoko’s children are out of school, parents are struggling to preserve fishing-based livelihoods, and families face exposure to the elements without access to clean water, sanitation, or healthcare. Insecurity has increased, and fear has replaced the fragile stability that once defined daily life in the community.
The Lagos State Government must halt further demolitions and open genuine dialogue with Makoko residents. Any safety-driven intervention must be transparent, legally grounded, and accompanied by humane resettlement options. Forced evictions without consultation or compensation undermine public trust and violate fundamental human rights principles.
Makoko did not emerge overnight, and it cannot be erased without consequences. How Lagos treats its most vulnerable communities will define the moral character of its development agenda. Urban progress should uplift people, not push them into deeper poverty. Anything less is a failure of governance and compassion.
Kome Odhomor, is of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)
Makoko: When Urban Renewal Becomes a Humanitarian Disaster
By Kome Odhomor
Youth attempt to disarm soldiers enforcing curfew in Niger
By: Zagazola Makama
Some youths in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State allegedly attempted to disarm soldiers enforcing a curfew before fleeing the scene, security sources have said.
Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred at about 10:35 p.m. on March 10 when troops of the 221 Battalion, Wawa Cantonment, were on patrol to enforce the curfew declared by the Chairman of Borgu Local Government.
According to the sources, the troops were patrolling along the Correctional Service Office area in New Bussa when they intercepted some motorcycles.
During the encounter, some aggressive youths reportedly began stoning the soldiers and attempted to struggle with them in a bid to seize a rifle, while also hurling abusive language.
The troops fired warning shots into the air to disperse the youths, who later fled the scene.
The Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in New Bussa immediately mobilised more security personnel to the area, but the youths had already dispersed.
Community leaders, including the village head, were later invited and cautioned to maintain peace and ensure residents avoid confrontations or misunderstandings with security personnel.
Security sources said no arrest was made and no injury was recorded, while the military troops continued their patrol in the area.
Youth attempt to disarm soldiers enforcing curfew in Niger
ISWAP appoints Abu Ameer as new pulka commander after neutralization of Modu Kundiri
By: Zagazola Makama
Following the recent neutralization of Modu Kundiri, the senior commander (Qa’id) of Pulka camp in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has appointed a replacement to sustain its operational command in the area.
Intelligence reports obtained on the evening of March 11, 2026, revealed that ISWAP leadership quickly designated Abu Ameer as the new commander (Qa’id) of Pulka camp. The move pointed out to the group’s efforts in maintaining command continuity despite recent setbacks.
Kundiri had served as the senior commander, also known as Qa’id, of the group’s Pulka camp, a strategic operational hub located in the southern axis of Borno near the border with Adamawa State and Cameroon.
Pulka occupies a critical position in the insurgency landscape due to its geographical proximity to the border regions linking Borno State with Adamawa State and neighbouring Cameroon.
The area has historically served as a transit corridor for insurgent fighters, logistics supplies and communication networks operating across multiple theatres.
According to intelligence discussions intercepted on March 11, fighters loyal to the group are still present in Ngalta village, located between Pulka in Gwoza LGA and Madagali Local Government Area in Adamawa State.
The disclosure reportedly came during internal exchanges among insurgent members, where a fighter identified as Konto informed another member, Manya, about the continued presence of fighters in the area.
Such conversations indicated that despite losing commanders, the group continues to maintain operational cells and surveillance elements within the Pulka–Ngalta–Madagali corridor.
The continued presence of fighters in Ngalta village suggests that the insurgents may still retain limited operational capability along the Borno–Adamawa border axis. Such locations often function as temporary regrouping points or staging areas for movement between remote settlements.
The development therefore point to the need for sustained intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance and coordinated ground operations across the corridor.
Zagazola emphasise the importance of maintaining strong collaboration between military forces, local vigilante groups and community intelligence networks to detect insurgent movement.
The development comes amid ongoing operations by the Nigerian military to dismantle ISWAP strongholds across the Northeast and reinforce stability in affected communities.
ISWAP appoints Abu Ameer as new pulka commander after neutralization of Modu Kundiri
Buni attends funeral prayers of Wali Shettima, elder brother, in Nauru
By: Yahaya Wakili
The Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN, and other top government functionaries attended today the funeral prayers for Ba Wali Shettima, elder brother to Yobe State Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali mni, in Nguru town of Yobe State.
Ably represented by his deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana (Wazirin Fune), the funeral prayers were led by the chief imam of Nguru Central Mosque, Shiek Ibrahim Shehu Ahmad.
The governor described the death of the renowned Islamic scholar Ba Wali as a huge loss not only to the Nguru community but to the whole Yobe state.
Gubana further extolled the virtues of the late Ba Wali as a committed and dedicated cleric, an epitome of peace and knowledge who contributed his own quota towards teaching and propagating Islam.
Late Ba Wali died at the University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, on Tuesday after a protracted illness at the age of 80. He is survived by a wife, ten (10) children, and many grandchildren.
Special prayers were offered by Chief Imam Shiek Ibrahim Shehu Ahmad. May Aljanna Firdausi be the reward of his good deeds. Amin, suma Amin.
Buni attends funeral prayers of Wali Shettima, elder brother, in Nauru
Youth attempt to disarm soldiers enforcing curfew in Niger
Security forces recover rustled cow, arrest four suspects in otukpo
Hoodlums attack farmer, steal motorcycle in barkin-ladi
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