•Lagos State House of Assembly
The Lagos State House of Assembly has recommended that residents affected by the demolition of waterfront communities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro be relocated to the Agbowa area of Epe in Lagos State.
Our correspondent obtained a statement from the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate indicating that the recommendation followed the adoption of a report by the House Committee on Rules and Business during plenary yesterday, reports The PUNCH.
According to the statement, 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, Hon. 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,” the statement read.
It noted that the demolition exercise carried out by the state government displaced many residents, including the elderly, women and children, while homes and properties were destroyed.
According to the committee, the affected waterfront communities depend largely on fishing as their primary source of livelihood and have historically lived on the water because of the nature of their occupation.
The committee also observed that living conditions in Makoko and the surrounding areas deteriorated significantly after the demolition, leading to environmental and health concerns as well as heightened safety risks.
Based on its findings, the lawmakers recommended that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, direct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to vet the enumeration report submitted by the Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon communities.
“The Committee further recommended that the government relocate the remaining residents of Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon to a proposed low-cost housing estate to be constructed in Agbowa area of the state, where they can continue their fishing activities,” the statement added.
The Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, Adeshina Oyetayo, confirmed the development to our correspondent today.
“What you got from the Public Affairs Directorate is the position of the Lagos State House of Assembly,” Oyetayo said.
The recommendation by the Assembly comes against the backdrop of a controversial demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government in late December 2025 and early January 2026, targeting “illicit structures” in the Makoko, Oko‑Agbon and Sogunro waterfront communities near the Third Mainland Bridge. T
The operation displaced thousands of residents in these historic lagoon settlements, many of whom depend on fishing for their livelihood.
This led to protests from community members and civil society groups who described the demolition as heavy‑handed and demanded clear plans for resettlement and compensation.
