Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has defended the recent demolition exercise carried out in parts of Makoko, insisting that the action was taken in the overall interest of public safety and to prevent a potential disaster.
The governor also used the opportunity to appeal to corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to support the state’s security architecture through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF).
Sanwo-Olu spoke during a private breakfast meeting with selected Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers in Ikoyi, Lagos, organised by the LSSTF to mobilise funds for critical security needs in 2026.
Addressing public criticism and protests that followed the demolition in Makoko, the governor explained that the structures affected were dangerously close to key infrastructure, including the Third Mainland Bridge and high-tension power lines.
According to him, the rapid expansion of illegal settlements in the area posed serious safety risks that could result in mass casualties if left unchecked.
“I have been accused of destroying Makoko, but people need to understand the reality,” Sanwo-Olu said. “Those shanties were expanding at an alarming speed and getting dangerously close to the Third Mainland Bridge and high-tension power lines. I cannot sit back and watch a disaster happen where hundreds of lives could be lost in one day.”
He stressed that government intervention was not driven by malice or displacement for its own sake, but by the responsibility to protect lives and property.
Sanwo-Olu also revealed that efforts were previously made to attract international development support for the area, but those plans failed to materialise.
“For six years, a United Nations agency promised to support development if the state provided counterpart funding. We did, but they never returned. Only last week, they admitted they had no funds,” he said.
The governor criticised some non-governmental organisations for exploiting the situation for financial gain, alleging that certain groups raise funds abroad by portraying distress without offering lasting solutions.
“What benefit would it be for government to dislocate people if not for their safety?” he asked, assuring residents that the administration’s goal is to improve living conditions, not worsen them.
Okobaba relocation cited as precedent
Sanwo-Olu referenced the Okobaba sawmill relocation as an example of how difficult urban interventions can deliver long-term benefits.
He explained that the Okobaba area, which suffered frequent fire outbreaks, was successfully relocated to Agbowa after years of planning, at a cost of billions of naira.
“We built over 500 houses for them, and that is why you no longer hear of fire incidents in Okobaba,” he noted.
Call for security funding support
Beyond the demolition issue, the governor appealed for increased private-sector participation in strengthening Lagos’ security framework.
He listed critical security needs including helicopters, drones, armoured personnel carriers, water cannons, CCTV cameras, digital communication equipment, vehicles, and tactical training for security agencies.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the state currently funds more than 50 per cent of security operations annually, but stressed that additional support is needed to sustain and scale ongoing initiatives.
“We want the private sector to trust that their contributions are transparently deployed. Lagos must remain secure to attract investments and protect lives,” he said.
He added that the state is rebuilding its Command and Control Centre and expanding its Safe City CCTV project to enhance surveillance and emergency response across Lagos.
