Photo caption: A young boy struggles to salvage a sinking canoe, now serving as his family’s only shelter, following the demolition of homes in Makoko, Lagos. Photo: Elliot Ovadje
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday ordered an immediate halt to the demolition of structures in Makoko and adjoining waterfront communities in the Yaba Local Government Area of the state.
The directive followed a meeting with representatives of the affected communities held at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium in the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Chairman of the ad hoc committee set up by the Speaker of the House, Noheem Adams, announced the decision while reading the resolutions reached at the meeting.
Adams said the House had resolved that all ministries and agencies responsible for the demolition in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities should suspend the exercise until further notice.
He also stated that residents whose properties had already been demolished would be compensated.
He said, “All demolitions in Makoko and its waterfront communities should be stopped with immediate effect until further notice. Also, any task force to be constituted must involve the residents and carry them along.
“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 after the meeting, the Baale of one of the communities, Isaac Gunmayon, expressed appreciation 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.
PUNCH Online reports that the demolition, which began in December 2025, had drawn mixed reactions from several stakeholders.
Human rights groups, lawyers and residents had condemned the exercise, which had left several residents displaced.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government had continued to defend the demolition, saying it was carried out to benefit residents of the waterfront communities.
=== PUNCH ===
