Lagos Assembly Proposes Relocation of Makoko Residents to Epe

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 in Lagos State.

This recommendation was contained in a statement issued by the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate after lawmakers adopted a report presented by the House Committee on Rules and Business during plenary on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the decision followed a petition submitted 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.”

While presenting the report before the Committee of the Whole, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Noheem Adams, explained that the committee reached its conclusions after holding five meetings with petitioners and conducting an oversight visit involving relevant government officials, agencies, and representatives of the affected communities.

The statement noted that the demolition exercise by the state government left many residents—among them elderly people, women and children—displaced, while numerous homes and personal belongings were destroyed.

The committee further observed that residents of the waterfront settlements rely heavily on fishing as their primary means of livelihood and have traditionally lived along the water due to the nature of their occupation.

It added that living conditions in Makoko and nearby areas worsened significantly after the demolitions, raising environmental and health concerns as well as increasing safety risks.

Based on its findings, the lawmakers recommended that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, instruct the Special Adviser on E-GIS to review and verify the enumeration report submitted by the Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon communities.

The committee also proposed that the government relocate the remaining residents of the three waterfront communities to a planned low-cost housing estate to be developed in Agbowa, where they can continue their fishing activities.

Confirming the development on Wednesday, the Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation to the Speaker, Adeshina Oyetayo, said the statement released by the Public Affairs Directorate accurately reflects the Assembly’s official position.

The Assembly’s recommendation comes amid controversy surrounding a demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government between late December 2025 and early January 2026. The operation targeted what authorities described as “illicit structures” in the Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Sogunro waterfront communities located near the Third Mainland Bridge.

The demolitions displaced thousands of residents in the historic lagoon settlements, many of whom depend on fishing for survival. The action also triggered protests from community members and civil society groups, who criticised the exercise as excessive and called for clear resettlement plans and compensation for those affected.