- The Lagos State House of Assembly has advised relocating displaced residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Sogunro to a low-cost housing estate in Agbowa, Epe
- Thousands were displaced during the state government’s demolition of waterfront communities near the Third Mainland Bridge in late Dec 2025
- Lawmakers urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to verify community enumeration reports and facilitate the relocation
The Lagos State House of Assembly has recommended that residents displaced by the demolition of waterfront communities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro be relocated to the Agbowa area of Epe in Lagos State.
This recommendation followed the adoption of a report by the House Committee on Rules and Business during plenary on Tuesday, March 10.
According to a statement by the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate, the resolution came after a petition was submitted 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.
The Assembly noted that the demolition exercise carried out by the state government displaced several residents, including elderly people, women and children, while many homes and properties were destroyed.
The committee also stated that residents of 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.
Lawmakers further observed that living conditions in Makoko and neighbouring communities worsened considerably after the demolition, raising environmental and health concerns and increasing safety risks for residents.
Based on its findings, the Assembly recommended that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, instruct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to verify 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 PUNCH Online on Wednesday, March 11.
“What you got from the Public Affairs Directorate is the position of the Lagos State House of Assembly,” Oyetayo said.
The Assembly’s recommendation comes amid controversy surrounding a demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government in late December 2025 and early January 2026.
The operation targeted what authorities described as “illicit structures” in the Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro waterfront communities located near the Third Mainland Bridge.
The demolitions displaced thousands of residents in the historic lagoon settlements, where many families depend on fishing for survival.
The action also sparked protests from community members and civil society organisations, who described the demolition as heavy-handed and called on the government to provide clear resettlement plans and compensation for those affected.