Forced eviction remains a growing concern in many parts of the world. The practice unjustly removes people from their homes or land without the possibility of such persons going back to live in those houses, residences, or places. The United Nations human rights mechanisms consider forced evictions as a gross violation of human rights and “one of the most supreme injustices any individual, family, household or community can face.” In Nigeria, demolitions, often accompanied by forced evictions, are widespread across several cities in the country. However, they are usually underreported, or justified under the pretext of urban renewal, city beautification, infrastructural development, crime prevention, public health and sanitation. The reasons are inexhaustible. No other group is targeted by forced evictions more than the urban poor who mostly reside in informal or slum settlements characterised by the deprivations of basic amenities and inadequate housing conditions.
Spaces for Change|S4C’s Eviction Tracker tackles under-reporting by curating incidents of forced evictions and displacement across Nigeria. The Eviction Tracker aims to provide timely and reliable data on affected communities, highlight patterns of housing rights violations, and support strong advocacy for the protection of the right to adequate housing. It will also highlight some of the disproportionate and traumatising impacts of forced eviction on vulnerable demographics such as women, children, and the urban poor.
This monthly publication tracks demolitions across Nigeria, including judicial proceedings involving scheduled, pending, or executed forced evictions. The Eviction Tracker collates evidence from multiple sources, including through a combination of field investigations, media reviews, official government announcements, community reports, fact-finding missions and independent fact-checking to ensure accuracy and reliability. The reported demolitions and evictions were tracked in the month of March 2026.
