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.
The recommendation followed the adoption of a report by the House Committee on Rules and Business during plenary on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate.
The resolution was triggered by a petition submitted to the Speaker of the House, 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 committee’s findings during plenary at the Committee of the Whole, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Noheem Adams, said the panel reached its conclusions after extensive engagements with stakeholders.
According to Adams, the committee held five separate meetings with petitioners and conducted an oversight visit with relevant government officials, agencies, and representatives of the affected communities before submitting its report.
The committee noted that the demolition exercise carried out by the state government displaced numerous residents, including elderly people, women and children, while homes and property were destroyed.
It further observed that residents of the affected waterfront communities largely depend on fishing for their livelihood and have historically lived on the water due to the nature of their occupation.
Lawmakers also raised concerns that living conditions in Makoko and surrounding settlements deteriorated sharply after the demolitions, resulting in environmental and health challenges as well as heightened security risks.
Based on its findings, the Assembly 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 proposed that the government relocate the remaining residents of the affected settlements to a planned low-cost housing estate to be constructed in the Agbowa area of Epe, where residents can continue their fishing activities.
The Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation to the Speaker, Adeshina Oyetayo, confirmed the development on Wednesday, noting that the statement from the Public Affairs Directorate reflects the official position of the Assembly.
The Assembly’s recommendation comes in the wake of a controversial demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government between late December 2025 and early January 2026 targeting structures described by authorities as illegal within the Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro waterfront communities located near the Third Mainland Bridge.
The operation displaced thousands of residents in the historic lagoon settlements, many of whom depend on fishing as their main source of livelihood.
It also sparked protests from community members and civil society groups, who condemned the action as heavy-handed and demanded clear resettlement plans and compensation for those affected.
