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More than two million people have been forcibly evicted from their homes in different parts of Nigeria since 2000. In April 2005, bulldozers demolished houses, churches, and medical clinics in the community of Makoko, Lagos. About 3,000 people lost their homes without prior notice. Some of them, including children, were beaten and injured by law enforcement officials, and others had all their belongings destroyed. In Port Harcourt, large-scale forced evictions are being carried out along the waterfront despite earlier state government promises that no evictions would take place. Thousands of people are likely to lose their homes.

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Rotimi Amaechi - Governor of Rivers State

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Dear (recipient name),

I am concerned about the ongoing forced evictions in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria. Thousands of people there face forced eviction, which is a violation of a range of human rights, in particular the right to adequate housing. Forced evictions often result in violations of other human rights, including the right to physical and mental integrity, the rights to health and education and the right to earn a living.

I call on you to: Immediately cease all forced evictions in Port Harcourt, enforce a clear prohibition on forced evictions, and develop and adopt guidelines for evictions that comply with international human rights law, based on the UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacement. Make available adequate alternative housing and compensation for those who have been forcefully evicted from their homes in Port Harcourt since the beginning of urban renewal activities in 2000, regardless of whether they rent, own, occupy or lease the land or housing in question.

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