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.
The recommendation followed the adoption of a report by the Assembly’s Committee on Rules and Business during plenary on Tuesday, according to a statement from the House Public Affairs Directorate obtained by PUNCH Online.
The resolution stemmed from a petition addressed to the Speaker, 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 report during plenary, the chairman of the committee, Noheem Adams, said the panel reached its conclusions after holding five meetings with petitioners and conducting an oversight visit with government officials, agencies and representatives of the affected communities.
The committee said the demolition carried out by the state government displaced many residents, including elderly people, women and children, and destroyed homes and property.
Lawmakers also noted that residents of the affected waterfront communities largely depend on fishing for their livelihoods and have historically lived on the water because of the nature of their work.
According to the report, living conditions in Makoko and nearby areas worsened significantly after the demolitions, raising environmental and health concerns as well as safety risks.
The committee recommended that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu direct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to review the enumeration report submitted by the Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon communities.
It also urged the state government to relocate remaining residents to a proposed low-cost housing estate to be built in Agbowa, where they could continue their fishing activities.
Adeshina Oyetayo, special adviser on research, media and documentation to Obasa, confirmed the Assembly’s position on Wednesday.
The recommendation follows a controversial demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government between late December 2025 and early January 2026 targeting what authorities described as illicit structures in the waterfront communities near the Third Mainland Bridge.
The operation displaced thousands of residents in the lagoon settlements, prompting protests by community members and civil society groups who criticized the demolitions as heavy-handed and called for clear resettlement and compensation plans.
