The Lagos State House of Assembly ordered the immediate suspension of the demolition following sustained protests by residents and civil society groups.
The Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State government has bowed to public pressure and announced the suspension of the violent demolition exercise and forced eviction in the Makoko Community.
The Lagos State House of Assembly ordered the immediate suspension of the demolition following sustained protests by residents and civil society groups.
The directive was announced on Tuesday by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Noheem Adams, in a statement issued after deliberations by lawmakers on the controversial exercise.
The decision comes amid growing public outcry and demonstrations by activists and members of the Makoko community, who had raised concerns over displacement and alleged lack of adequate consultation.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Adams explained that the Assembly resolved to suspend the demolitions after a meeting with representatives of the affected community.
According to him, the engagement provided lawmakers with first-hand information on the concerns and grievances of residents.
Also confirming the demolition suspension, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that the suspension was “part of an agreement at a meeting organised by the House of Assembly with the government and the indigenes.”
Meanwhile, the House Majority Leader said the House would now work closely with relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the state government to comprehensively review the issues surrounding the planned demolitions.
Adams added that the Assembly was committed to ensuring that due process is followed and that the rights and welfare of affected residents are adequately considered.
The Majority Leader further disclosed that all stakeholders, including community leaders, government agencies and other relevant parties, would be properly engaged before any further action is taken on the matter.
“In the interest of fairness and justice, the House has resolved to intervene,” Adams said.
“On behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, and honourable members of this House, we are taking this matter seriously. All ongoing demolitions should be stopped.”
Makoko, a densely populated waterfront community, has in recent years been at the centre of repeated demolition threats linked to urban renewal and environmental concerns.
SaharaReporters reported on Tuesday that the Ogu General Assembly (OGA), a socio-cultural organization representing the interests of the people of Ogu (Egun) descent in Lagos State, strongly condemned the violent demolition and forced displacement of the Makoko waterfront community.
It accused Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration of systematic ethnic cleansing of Ogu-dominated littoral settlements under the guise of urban development.
In a position paper dated February 2, 2026, the OGA called for an immediate and permanent halt to ongoing demolitions in Makoko and neighbouring waterfront communities, warning that the exercise has escalated into a humanitarian crisis marked by deaths, mass displacement, and the destruction of livelihoods.
Describing Makoko as a historic fishing settlement with an estimated population of over 300,000 people, the OGA alleged that the current demolition exercise amounts to “ruthless demolition, forced eviction, violent displacement, class cleansing, ethnic violence, and unconscionable gentrification.”
Addressing the Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday, February 3, Prof. Olaoluwa said, “The indigenous Ogu people within the metropolis of Lagos, about 10 years ago, Otodogbamẹ was destroyed. If you go there, nobody can identify as a native of Otodogbamẹ again because that place is now referenced as Periwinkle Island.
“Going by that antecedent, we are saying that Makoko is about to go down, and in the next couple of years, there will be no more Makoko, and when that happens, what do we say about the indigenous people who have been there since the 17th century?
“This is our concern. The Lagos State government has to convince us that there is no deliberate attempt at annihilating the only other indigenous groups in Lagos state after the Yoruba and the Ogu, and this is happening to us again and again.”
It was further alleged that waterfront communities are being cleared to pave the way for luxury real estate developments designed for elites and the super-rich, with no consideration for the original inhabitants.