The Lagos State House of Assembly has advised that residents impacted by the demolition of waterfront communities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro should be moved to the Agbowa area of Epe in Lagos State.
A statement obtained Online from the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate explained that the recommendation came after lawmakers adopted a report presented by the House Committee on Rules and Business during plenary on Tuesday.
The statement said the decision followed a petition 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.
It added that the demolition exercise conducted by the state government forced many residents—among them the elderly, women and children—from their homes, while numerous houses and properties were destroyed.
According to the committee, the affected waterfront communities rely heavily on fishing as their main means of livelihood and have traditionally lived on the water because of the nature of their work.
The committee also observed that living conditions in Makoko and nearby areas worsened considerably after the demolition, creating environmental and health concerns as well as increased safety risks.
Based on its findings, lawmakers urged the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to instruct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to review 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 on Wednesday.
“What you got from the Public Affairs Directorate is the position of the Lagos State House of Assembly,” Oyetayo said.
The Assembly’s recommendation follows a controversial demolition operation 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 close to the Third Mainland Bridge.
The exercise displaced thousands of residents in these historic lagoon settlements, many of whom depend on fishing for survival.
The action also triggered protests by community members and civil society organisations, who criticised the demolition as heavy-handed and called for clear resettlement plans and compensation for those affected.
