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Our forefathers were fishermen, we live on the water - 'Venice of Africa' evictions displace thousands amid Lagos urban expansion

Our forefathers were fishermen, we live on the water - 'Venice of Africa' evictions displace thousands amid Lagos urban expansion

"Thousands of residents of Makoko, the iconic Lagos waterfront community known as the 'Venice of Africa', face an uncertain future as Nigerian authorities accelerate demolition and eviction operations under urban expansion plans. Footage captured on Wednesday shows protesters in their wooden boats spread across Lagos Lagoon, holding signs reading “Nowhere to go” and “We deserve peace in our community,” while parts of the floating neighborhood were seen turned to rubble. “I have no place to go because I don't know anywhere else except here. If the government wants to kill me, they should come and kill me with my children,” said fish trader Harriete Bakpo. For Fashinu Felix, a fisherman, the eviction of Makoko would cut off a vital lifeline for the entire city, not just the neighborhood. “Our forefathers were fishermen, and it is fishing that provides for us. All of our children go to school through that. People benefit from our fishing activities,” he explained. “This is possible because we live on the water. This is why we live on the water.” Residents said that children have stopped going to school because their parents have lost their livelihoods and have no stable housing. “They are all now living on their boats with little tents over their heads; there is no shelter, and there is nowhere for the children to stay,” noted Koja Phineas, a local teacher. The demolitions, which began in late December 2025, are aimed at clearing a 30-meter safety corridor under high-tension power lines, though NGO reports allege that the destruction extended over 200 meters into the community. Over 10,000 people -largely of Gun heritage- have been displaced, and at least three deaths have been reported, including two infants, due to the alleged use of tear gas and force during the evictions. Nigeria aims to transform Lagos into a 'Mega City' and to develop the waterfront, which residents view as an attempt to seize land for luxury real estate projects."