July 21, 2012
Lagos Nigeria
MAKOKO UNDER ATTACK!!!
Demolition Takes a Violent Dimension - One Shot Dead and Many Wounded
This morning Saturday, July 21, 2012, the Lagos State demolition squad backed by heavily armed police and other security officials stormed Makoko in continuation of the ongoing demolition of the community. the demolition team began burning down houses on water as armed police fired shots indiscriminately to get residents to flee their homes. The Lagos State government introduced eviction by fire to accelerate the pace of destruction of the community. In the last hour, one individual was shot dead by the police while some have sustained gunshot wounds. Many residents have been arrested and detained. Others have suffered other forms of violence at the hands of the demolition squad and the police.
The demolition commenced on Monday , July 16, 2012 after barely 72-hour quit notice issued to the residents by the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development . The notice unequivocally conveyed the government's intention to grab the waterfront in favor of affluent developers. The government has also stated that it does not intend to compensate or resettle the evicted residents in violation of both Nigerian and international law.
At a meeting with Mr. Oniru, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development in his office yesterday, Friday, July 20, 2012, the Commissioner told SERAC's Executive Director emphatically that he intends to complete the demolition of Makoko. He stated that the residents should leave Lagos and return to wherever they came from. When Mr. Morka suggested to him that his statements amounted to some form of "ethnic cleansing" in violation of the Constitution and international human rights and humanitarian law, he responded, "I don't care".
So far, over 30,000 people, including women, children and the elderly have lost their homes and over 120,000 face imminent displacements. These evictees are further endangered as many of them are now forced to live and sleep in their canoes. SERAC is currently investigating reports of the drowning of 3 children of a family when their canoe capsized as they slept during the night on Wednesday.
Makoko is one of nine slum communities target by the 200 Million US Dollars World Bank-funded Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP) of the Lagos State government. Under the project, it is impermissible to demolish peoples' homes and properties without the provision of effective remedies. At the moment, a protest has been called by the residents of Makoko and the Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC). The march is scheduled to be held on Monday, July 23, 2012 at 11:00am. The protest march will take off from the Connector Road between the Ikeja Shopping mall and the State Secretariat, Alausa-Ikeja and end at the Governor's Office at Alausa-Ikeja. All patriots are urged to join this protest to save Makoko and its people from destruction at the hands of the Lagos State government. Kindly share this information on your networks.
Signed
Felix C. Morka
Executive Director
Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC)
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