The Lagos State Government has again justified the demolition in Makoko, saying the exercise forms part of a wider safety and environmental policy designed to prevent disasters arising from unsafe settlements, fire outbreaks and high-risk infrastructure locations.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on eGIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, stated this during a press briefing at Alausa, Ikeja. He said the intervention aimed primarily at protecting lives, especially in communities situated beneath high-tension power lines.
Babatunde explained that the state has carried out similar clearance exercises across Lagos after fatal incidents linked to fallen power cables, stressing that authorities did not single out Makoko for enforcement.
According to him, clearing high-tension corridors remains a mandatory safety requirement statewide, and the action in Makoko followed the same standards applied in other areas.
He added that the government previously considered several redevelopment options for Makoko, including a shoreline extension project. However, environmental assessments by technical experts, construction firms and international partners revealed that the proposal posed serious ecological risks to the lagoon and marine ecosystem, leading to its suspension.
Babatunde said the state has since adopted the Water Cities Project as a more sustainable solution. He noted that the initiative allows the fishing community to remain in place while improving sanitation, infrastructure and environmental management.
He disclosed that the Lagos State Government has committed $2 million to the project and continues to engage international development partners for additional funding and technical assistance.
The adviser also outlined the state’s broader urban regeneration strategy, which, he said, prioritises stakeholder engagement, compensation and resettlement where relocation becomes unavoidable. He cited previous regeneration projects in Okobaba, Adeniji-Adele and Dosunmu as examples of redevelopment achieved through dialogue and negotiated agreements.
Babatunde identified recurring fire outbreaks, building collapses and poor access for emergency services in densely populated settlements as major reasons for enforcing building codes, minimum setbacks and land pooling in regeneration zones.
He added that Lagos State continues to align its urban development policies with international standards that uphold the right to safe and adequate housing, noting that unsafe living conditions ultimately expose residents to greater risks.