Tear Gas Fired at Lagos Assembly as Protesters Decry Demolitions, Forced Evictions

Tension escalated on Wednesday at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja, after police officers fired tear gas to disperse protesters demonstrating against demolitions and alleged forced evictions across parts of the state.

The demonstrators, drawn from affected communities, had gathered at the assembly complex to demand an immediate halt to the destruction of homes and what they described as the displacement of residents without adequate notice or compensation.

Eyewitnesses said the situation deteriorated when security operatives released tear gas, triggering panic within and around the assembly premises. Protesters, nearby residents, traders and commuters were seen fleeing in different directions as the gas spread through the area.

The disruption briefly brought movement around the Alausa axis to a standstill, with shops shutting their doors and traffic slowing as people scrambled to avoid exposure.

Despite the dispersal of the crowd, security personnel remained stationed around the complex as of the time of reporting, maintaining a heavy presence to prevent a resurgence of the protest.

There was no immediate statement from the Lagos State Police Command on the use of tear gas, while organisers of the protest insisted their action was peaceful and aimed at drawing legislative attention to the plight of displaced communities.

The protest forms part of growing public anger over demolitions in Lagos, as residents continue to call on the state government to adopt more humane and transparent urban renewal policies.