The Lagos State House of Assembly has ordered an immediate suspension of the ongoing demolition exercise in Makoko and adjoining waterfront communities, while pledging compensation for residents whose properties have already been affected.
The directive was issued on Tuesday after a stakeholders’ meeting between lawmakers and representatives of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.
Chairman of the ad hoc committee set up by the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, Hon. Noheem Adams, announced the decision while presenting the resolutions reached at the meeting.
Adams said the Assembly resolved that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved in the demolition exercise must suspend activities in the affected communities with immediate effect and until further notice.
According to him, the House also agreed that residents whose homes and properties had already been demolished would be duly compensated by the state government.
“All demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities should stop immediately. Any task force to be constituted must involve community representatives and engage them adequately,” Adams said.
He assured residents that the Assembly would ensure full compliance with the directive and monitor the process to guarantee fairness and transparency.
The Assembly’s intervention followed protests by displaced residents, as well as petitions submitted to lawmakers over the demolition exercise, which reportedly began in December 2025 and displaced several families.
Responding on behalf of the affected communities, the Baale of one of the communities, Isaac Gunmayon, thanked the Assembly for its swift intervention, describing the resolution as a source of relief and hope for residents.
He said the communities were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and appreciated the lawmakers for listening to their grievances.
The demolition exercise has drawn criticism from human rights groups, lawyers and civil society organisations, who condemned the displacement of residents and called for a more humane approach to urban renewal.
Despite the backlash, the Lagos State Government has defended the demolition, insisting it was carried out in the interest of the waterfront communities as part of a broader regeneration plan.
The state government has also disclosed plans to spend about $10 million on the redevelopment and regeneration of the Makoko waterfront to improve living conditions and infrastructure.
