Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has declared that the demolition of homes or the displacement of residents in waterfront communities is unlawful.
Falana made the assertion on Sunday, the 1st of February, 2026, while fielding questions during an interview on Arise Television, where he addressed recent incidents involving demolitions and protests.
He emphasised that Nigerians are constitutionally entitled to the rights to housing and human dignity, noting that any plan by the government to carry out demolitions must involve consultations with affected communities and the provision of alternative accommodation.
The senior advocate also condemned the use of tear gas on peaceful protesters, stating that there was no legal justification for such actions.
“Incidentally, I’ve been involved in the demolition of houses in Lagos for the past 35 years.
“To top it up, the Supreme Court gave a decision two years ago, that state governments have no control over inland waterways in the country. So, going to any waterfront to demolish or displaced people is completely illegal.
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“This is the problem. Now we are not opposed to development. What we are seeing is that the Lagos state government, and by the way, section 17 of the Commission provides that all actions of the government shall be humane.
“So you can’t go to a community in the dead of the night, tear gas them, wake them up and confuse them. And when they are running out helter skelter, you begin to demolish their properties. It’s not part of our law.
“Secondly, our people are entitled to right to dignity. Our people are entitled to right to house.
“If the government wants to demolish, no problem, but you must discuss and place them in some other places,” he said.