The Lagos State Government says recent demolitions in the waterfront community of Makoko were part of a wider safety and environmental policy aimed at preventing disasters linked to unsafe settlements.
Officials said the exercise was not targeted at Makoko alone but formed part of a statewide effort to reduce risks from fire outbreaks, collapsed buildings and infrastructure located in high-risk areas.
Speaking at a press conference in Alausa on Monday, the governor’s special adviser on eGIS and urban development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, said the intervention was necessary to protect lives, particularly in communities built close to high-tension power lines.
He said similar clearance operations had been carried out in other parts of Lagos following fatal incidents caused by fallen electricity cables.
“Clearing high-tension corridors is a safety requirement across Lagos State,” Dr Babatunde said, adding that Makoko had not been singled out for enforcement.
Flanked by the commissioner for information and strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, and the governor’s media adviser, Gboyega Akosile, Dr Babatunde said the state government remained committed to improving living conditions in vulnerable communities while balancing development, environmental protection and public safety.
He disclosed that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had earmarked $2m (£1.6m) since 2021 for the redevelopment of the Makoko waterfront and said residents affected by the demolitions would be compensated.
According to him, earlier redevelopment proposals for Makoko, including a shoreline extension project, were abandoned after environmental impact assessments warned of serious risks to the lagoon and surrounding marine life.
The government has instead adopted what it calls a “Water City Project”, which officials say would allow the fishing community to remain in place while addressing sanitation, infrastructure and environmental concerns.
Dr Babatunde said international partners, including the United Nations, had shown interest in supporting the redevelopment after visiting Makoko in 2021. However, he acknowledged that global funding constraints had affected expected donor contributions.
He said the state was now appealing to donor agencies, the international community and private organisations to support the project.
The special adviser cited past regeneration projects in Okobaba, Adeniji-Adele and Dosunmu as examples of redevelopment achieved through consultation and negotiated agreements.
He said the relocation of residents from Okobaba to Agbowa, where new housing and equipment were provided, was completed under the current administration without major unrest.
Officials also pointed to recurring fire incidents, poor access for emergency services and building collapses in densely populated settlements as reasons for enforcing building codes and minimum setbacks.
Dr Babatunde said unsafe housing conditions ultimately placed residents at greater risk, adding that Lagos was working to align its urban development policies with international standards on safe and adequate housing.
Meanwhile, the commissioner for information, Mr Omotoso, said while citizens had a constitutional right to protest, demonstrations must not disrupt public order or prevent others from accessing essential services.
He said protests should not block roads or interfere with commuting and medical access in a city as densely populated as Lagos.
“People are entitled to their emotions,” he said, “but there are facts and figures.”
