BREAKING: Makoko Youth Leader, Oluwatobi Aide, To Be Arraigned Over Protest Against Demolitions In Lagos Community

Mr. Aide was subsequently transferred around 11am to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where he has reportedly been held under harsh and “inhospitable” conditions.

The Lagos State Police Command has concluded plans to arraign Mr. Oluwatobi Aide, a youth leader of the Makoko waterfront community, in court on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, on allegations of breach of public peace, amid mounting criticism from activists who describe the charge as “false, outrageous and politically motivated.”

Sources familiar with the case told SaharaReporters that the decision to prosecute Mr. Aide was taken by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, following his arrest by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) during protests against the ongoing demolition of homes in Makoko.

Makoko, a densely populated waterfront settlement in Lagos, has for years been under threat of demolition, with residents accusing the state government of acting in the interests of property developers and elite investors seeking to replace the community with luxury high-rise buildings and condominiums.

According to sources, Mr. Aide was arrested on Sunday, January 11, 2026, after he protested attempts by the Lagos State demolition team to extend demolitions beyond the 30-metre corridor from an electricity installation, an arrangement residents said had previously been agreed upon with the government.

“He was arrested simply for speaking up and protesting the demolition of homes beyond what the community had agreed to,” a source told SaharaReporters. “Since then, he has been in police detention.”

Mr. Aide’s detention has also raised health concerns. Activists said he had been briefly hospitalised two weeks earlier after inhaling tear gas fired repeatedly into the community by security operatives to disperse residents and allow demolition equipment access.

On Monday night, Mr. Aide reportedly fell ill again while in custody at Area F Police Division, Ikeja, after suffering severe reactions believed to be linked to mosquito bites and poor detention conditions. He was rushed to a nearby hospital by RRS operatives.

“Initially, the RRS team insisted that Mr. Aide must pay for his treatment, even though it was the condition of his incarceration that worsened his health,” a source said.

This reportedly led to a tense standoff between police officers and activists who had mobilised around the case, before the police agreed to cover the medical costs. Mr. Aide was treated, given medication and returned to detention later that night.

However, sources said tensions escalated again on Tuesday morning when the RRS commander reportedly dismissed Mr. Aide’s illness as feigned.

“He was told to apologise to the Lagos State Government and sign an undertaking never to protest against the demolition again,” the source said. “When he refused, the police insisted he would be charged in court to make an example of him.”

Mr. Aide was subsequently transferred around 11am to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where he has reportedly been held under harsh and “inhospitable” conditions.

Activists say the decision to prosecute him after three days in detention underscores what they describe as a broader strategy to intimidate Makoko residents into submission.

“This is another confirmation that only serious resistance can break the resolve of the Lagos State Government to chase the poor out of Lagos,” a source involved in the advocacy said.

Supporters of the detained youth leader say legal action is already underway to secure his release.

“We shall meet the state in court tomorrow (Wednesday) to demand freedom for Mr. Oluwatobi Aide,” the source said. “Shelter is a human right. No one deserves to be sent to prison for defending the right to have a roof over their head.”

They also expressed appreciation for legal support being provided to Mr. Aide, particularly by Joseph Opute Esq., who is leading the legal team challenging the police action.

Earlier, Saharareporters reported that at least three persons, including two babies and an elderly woman, had been confirmed dead following the ongoing demolition of homes by the state government at the Makoko waterfront community on the Lagos Lagoon.

The incident has triggered outrage from civil society organisations who have condemned the exercise as brutal, unconstitutional and inhumane.

The deaths were disclosed in a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEEHOPE) Nigeria, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), amid reports of mass displacement, injuries and the arrest of a community leader.

According to the groups, the victims include 70-year-old Ms. Albertine Ojadikluno and five-day-old Epiphany Kpenassou Adingban, with another baby also reported dead, as demolition teams, accompanied by armed security personnel, intensified operations in the historic fishing community.

In a statement shared with SaharaReporters, the organizations reported that the demolitions began on January 5, 2026.

They alleged that homes were either set ablaze or razed with little to no notice, and in some harrowing instances, while residents were still inside.

“Armed thugs, security personnel and demolition teams with bulldozers have descended repeatedly on Makoko,” the statement said, adding that “tear gas was deployed against women, children and elderly persons, leaving many injured and hospitalised.”