The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday directed an immediate stop to the demolition of structures in Makoko and neighboring waterfront communities within the Yaba Local Government Area.
The decision followed a meeting with representatives of the affected communities at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium in the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.
Noheem Adams, Chairman of the ad hoc committee established by the Speaker of the House, read the resolutions from the meeting, stating that all ministries and agencies involved in the demolitions of Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro must suspend operations until further notice.
He added that residents whose properties had already been demolished would be compensated. “All demolitions in Makoko and its waterfront communities should be stopped with immediate effect until further notice. Any task force to be constituted must involve the residents and carry them along,” Adams said. “As your representatives, we assure you that the demolition will be stopped and that all those whose properties have been demolished will be compensated.”
Speaking on behalf of the affected communities, Baale Isaac Gunmayon expressed gratitude to the Assembly for its intervention. “They called us to come and explain what exactly happened, and we discussed everything. Whatever the House has decided reflects our wishes, and we are very happy with the way they spoke to us and gave us hope,” he said.
The demolition, which began in December 2025, had drawn mixed reactions. Human rights groups, lawyers, and residents criticized the exercise for displacing several families, while the Lagos State Government defended the action, stating it was intended to benefit residents of the waterfront communities.
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