THE Lagos State House of Assembly has ordered an immediate halt to the demolition of buildings in the waterfront Makoko community, following growing public outrage and appeals from residents whose homes were recently pulled down.
The decision was reached after lawmakers met with leaders and residents from Makoko and Oworonshoki who were affected by the demolition exercise carried out by state agencies. The meeting, convened at the Assembly complex, was chaired by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Noheem Adams, who is also the chairman of the House Committee on Makoko Demolition.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Adams directed all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) involved in the operation to suspend further demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Afon, and Shogunro communities with immediate effect. He said the Assembly would not allow any further action until it independently verifiesdthe scope and legality of the exercise.
“The House has resolved that all demolition activities in these communities must stop now,” Mr Adams said. “We will conduct an on-the-spot assessment to determine the exact setbacks being enforced by the government and whether the actions taken so far align with existing laws and safety regulations.”
He assured residents that a joint task force would be set up to manage the situation, adding that community representatives would be elected to serve as members of the committee. According to him, this would ensure that the voices of the people were directly heard and considered in all future decisions concerning the area.
Mr Adams also dismissed fears that the government intended to completely erase Makoko, a historic fishing settlement that has existed for over a century. He stressed that the state recognised the cultural and economic importance of the community and had no intention of displacing it entirely.
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“There is no plan to wipe out Makoko,” he said. “The community is part of Lagos’ history, and it will remain. The governor is committed to its development, not its destruction.”
He revealed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had approved a $2 million development intervention for Makoko, aimed at improving living conditions, infrastructure, and public services within the community. He said details of the project would be shared once the task force began work.
In addition, Mr Adams pledged that residents whose homes and livelihoods were affected by the demolitions would be duly compensated. He urged calm and cooperation, assuring the community that the Assembly would ensure fairness and transparency throughout the process.
Several community leaders who attended the meeting welcomed the directive but expressed deep frustration over how the demolitions were carried out. They said many families were displaced without adequate notice, consultation, or resettlement plans.
The leaders also made it clear that they no longer wanted non-governmental organisations to represent them in negotiations with the government. According to them, past engagements through third parties had not produced meaningful results.
“We are ready to speak for ourselves,” one of the leaders said. “We want direct dialogue with the government. All we ask is for the demolition to stop and for us to be treated with dignity.”
Lagos officials defent action
Officials of the Lagos State Government, however, have defended the demolition exercise, describing it as a necessary step for public safety and urban renewal. They said the structures removed were located in dangerous zones and posed serious risks to both residents and critical infrastructure.
According to state authorities, all buildings constructed within 100 metres of high-voltage transmission lines that crossed the Makoko lagoon were marked for removal. They warned that continued occupation of such areas could lead to fatal accidents, including electrocution and fire outbreaks.
Despite these explanations, rights groups and urban development advocates have continued to call for a more humane and inclusive approach to regeneration in waterfront communities, urging the government to prioritise resettlement, compensation, and community participation.
A recent assessment of public reactions to recent demolition exercises in Lagos found that the activities had intensified resentment toward the state government and reinforced perceptions of a growing divide between wealthy and low-income residents.
The findings were contained in a new sentiment and field study by SBM Intelligence, which examined the aftermath of January demolitions in Makoko, Oworonshoki and surrounding waterfront and inland communities in Nigeria’s economic capital.
Enitled ‘A Report on the Sentiment Following the Makoko Demolitions,’ the study combines field interviews with affected residents and a digital analysis of online conversations to gauge public opinion on the government’s actions.
Based on a structured survey of 100 residents and an analysis of about 1,000 public comments, the report found that 82 percent of the discourse surrounding the demolitions was negative. Only 13 percent of respondents endorsed the government’s safety-based justification, while five percent expressed neutral views. The report described the backlash as evidence of a deep collapse in public trust rather than routine resistance to urban regulation.
