The Lagos State Police Command has rejected reports that officers fired live ammunition at residents protesting the demolition of homes in Makoko and other waterfront communities, maintaining that only teargas was used to control the crowd.
Police Commissioner Moshood Jimoh Olohundare spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, addressing claims that a protester was shot in the leg while demonstrators marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa.
Olohundare said the deployment was intended to maintain order and ensure public safety, stressing that firearms were not used.
“No gun was fired. I was there appealing to them to remain peaceful, but they continued to hurl abuses at me. As a police officer, I am trained to work under this kind of pressure. So, I did not react,” he explained.
The protest, which took place on Wednesday, involved residents of Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode-Onirin, and Oko Baba, who were demanding fair compensation and relocation after the demolition of their properties.
Some participants also sought justice for individuals allegedly killed during previous demolition exercises.
While teargas was deployed, several protesters reportedly suffered minor injuries while fleeing, leading to allegations that live bullets were used.
Jude Ojo, a community leader who participated in the demonstration, claimed that police fired live rounds alongside teargas, adding that an unidentified protester was shot in the leg and rushed to hospital. He insisted the demonstrators were peaceful and posed no threat.
“We said that if you were not going to attend to us or allow us to come in, we would sit down until you were ready to give us attention. The next thing we experienced was gunshots and teargas. A man was shot in the leg and rushed to the hospital. I don’t know his name, but it should be shown on camera,” Ojo said.
Commissioner Olohundare, however, denied the allegations, suggesting that any injuries occurred while protesters fled the teargas.
He added that police contacted the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly, who sent representatives to appeal to the demonstrators, but the efforts were unsuccessful.
“It fell on deaf ears because their aim was to enter the House of Assembly and cause mayhem, which we will not allow,” he said.
The commissioner acknowledged citizens’ right to protest but described the group as “unknown,” chanting war songs and disrupting traffic along Awolowo Way. He emphasised that the police intervention aimed to protect commuters, residents, and those with medical emergencies.
The Lagos State Government defended the demolitions as necessary for public safety, environmental protection, and orderly urban development. Officials said the removal of illegal structures along waterways and beneath high-tension power lines was crucial to prevent accidents and secure the city.
“No responsible government anywhere in the world can allow people to live directly under high-tension cables or obstruct vital waterways. These actions are not punitive. They are preventive, to protect lives, avert disasters, and secure the future of Lagos,” a spokesperson said.
