The Lagos State House of Assembly has recommended the relocation of residents affected by the demolition of waterfront communities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Sogunro to the Agbowa area of Epe in Lagos State.
READ ALSO: Lagos Assembly Meets With Makoko Residents, Asks Ministries To Stop Demolition
The lawmakers adopted the recommendations of its standing Committee on Rules and Business concerning the demolition exercise carried out in the areas, making them the official resolution of the House.
The resolution followed a petition addressed to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, titled “Urgent Appeal Regarding Ongoing Mass Forced Eviction and Illegal Demolition Threatening Tens of Thousands in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro Communities.”
Presenting the report during plenary at the Committee of the Whole, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Noheem Adams, explained that the committee arrived at its conclusions after engaging the petitioners in five separate meetings and conducting an oversight visit with relevant government officials, agencies, and representatives of the affected communities.
According to the committee, the demolition exercise undertaken by the state government resulted in the displacement of numerous residents, including the elderly, the sick, women, and children, as well as the destruction of homes and other properties.
It further observed that the affected waterfront communities largely depend on fishing as their primary source of livelihood and have historically resided on the water due to the nature of their occupation.
The committee also noted that following the demolition, living conditions within Makoko and the surrounding areas deteriorated significantly, leading to environmental and health hazards, as well as heightened safety and security concerns.
Based on its findings, it recommended that the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, should direct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to vet the enumeration report submitted by the Makoko, Sogunro, and Oko-Agbon communities.
It further recommended that the government relocate the remaining residents of communities to a proposed low-cost housing estate to be constructed in the Agbowa area of the state, where they could continue their fishing activities.
In addition, the committee advised that the government should involve the Oloto of the Otto family in the construction of the Water City Project, recognising them as the original owners of the land.
Outcry
The demolition of homes in Makoko, a waterfront community in Lagos, generated controversy and public outcry after authorities began removing structures in late December 2025 and January 2026.
The exercise led to the destruction of thousands of homes and the displacement of many residents in the densely populated fishing settlement.
Many affected residents lost their houses, businesses, and schools, forcing families to evacuate their belongings by canoe across the lagoon.
The demolition also triggered protests by residents and community leaders who called on the Lagos State government to halt the exercise and provide shelter or compensation for those affected.
The Lagos State House of Assembly later intervened and asked government agencies to temporarily stop the demolitions while discussions with community representatives continued.
Responding to the controversy, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had said the demolition was carried out for safety reasons.
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