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The Lagos State House of Assembly has recommended relocating residents displaced by the demolition of waterfront communities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro to the Agbowa area of Epe.
According to a statement from the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate obtained by Punch News, the recommendation followed the adoption of a report presented during Tuesday’s plenary by the House Committee on Rules and Business.
The report stemmed from a petition submitted to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, which raised concerns about alleged forced evictions and demolition threats affecting thousands of residents in the affected communities.
While presenting the report during plenary, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Noheem Adams, said the committee reached its conclusions after holding five meetings with the petitioners and conducting an oversight visit involving government officials, agencies and representatives of the affected 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 committee noted that the demolition carried out by the state government had displaced numerous residents, including women, children and the elderly, while many homes and properties were destroyed.
It also observed that residents of the waterfront settlements largely rely on fishing for their livelihoods and have historically lived on the water because of the nature of their work.
According to the committee, living conditions in Makoko and surrounding areas worsened after the demolition, raising concerns about environmental health and safety.
Based on its findings, the lawmakers recommended that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu direct the Special Adviser on Electronic Geographic Information System (E-GIS) to verify the enumeration report submitted by the Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon communities.
The committee further proposed relocating the remaining residents to a planned low-cost housing estate to be constructed in Agbowa, Epe, where they would continue their fishing activities.
“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.
Confirming the development, the Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation to the Speaker, Adeshina Oyetayo, said the statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate reflected the official position of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The Assembly’s recommendation follows a controversial demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government between late December 2025 and early January 2026. The operation targeted what authorities described as illegal structures in the Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro waterfront settlements near the Third Mainland Bridge.
The demolitions displaced thousands of residents in the historic lagoon communities, many of whom depend on fishing for survival. The action sparked protests from residents and civil society groups, who criticised the demolitions and called for clear resettlement plans and compensation for those affected.
