Five Killed In Midnight Attack On Lagos Waterfront Community

Fear has gripped residents of Sogunro community in Lagos State following the alleged killing of five people by armed youths from neighbouring Iwaya community.

The Coalition against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Landgrabbing and Displacement in Lagos State disclosed this in a statement on Friday, calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.

According to the coalition, the incident occurred around midnight on November 1 and 2, when some youths from Iwaya allegedly invaded Sogunro after residents refused demands for money for a party.

The group said the attackers were armed with guns, axes and other dangerous weapons, adding that at least five people were killed, while eight others sustained injuries and were hospitalised.

It alleged that one victim was executed with an axe to the neck, while others were shot or attacked with axes. At least one body was reportedly dumped in a canal.

The coalition further alleged that valuable properties were destroyed and looted during the attack.

It expressed concern that the perpetrators had yet to be arrested, despite the severity of the incident.

The coalition said the killings had left residents traumatised, with some fleeing their homes near the community’s boundary to sleep in boats and with neighbours at the waterside for fear of further attacks.

It called on the police to immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible and take urgent steps to protect residents from further violence.

Efforts by THE WHISTLER to obtain comments from the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, proved abortive, as she had yet to respond to a message sent to her as of the time of filing this report.

The Sogunro community, alongside neighbouring Makoko and Oko Agbon, was among the waterfront settlements affected by large-scale demolitions between December 2025 and January 2026.

According to the coalition, the exercise displaced an estimated 30,000 residents before protests and public outcry halted the demolitions in January.

The group said residents had since been rebuilding their homes while awaiting further information about a proposed United Nations-supported Makoko Water Cities project, which was expected to be implemented in partnership with the affected communities.

It urged the police to act swiftly to prevent further attacks and restore the safety of residents in Sogunro.