Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has defended the ongoing demolition of structures in parts of the Makoko waterfront community, insisting that the exercise is solely aimed at preventing avoidable disasters and safeguarding lives.
The governor spoke on Monday after signing the ₦4.4 trillion 2026 appropriation bill into law, amid growing public criticism over the clearance of buildings in the densely populated settlement.
Okay News reports that Sanwo-Olu said the state government could not afford to ignore clear safety risks posed by illegal structures erected around critical infrastructure, particularly power lines and bridges.
“The safety of lives and property is paramount and must be safeguarded. I just explained to you that a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of fuel fell on a bridge and spilt fuel, and over 100 people were there scooping it. We had to deploy our first responders to address the situation. If anything had happened, this is not what we would be talking about,” the governor said.
Drawing a comparison between recent emergency incidents and the Makoko situation, Sanwo-Olu stressed that the demolitions were preventive rather than punitive.
“It’s a similar thing we’re doing in Makoko. Of what interest would it be for the government to demolish anyone’s structure if not for the overall safety of citizens?” he added.
The governor clarified that the exercise does not amount to a total demolition of Makoko, explaining that only areas posing serious danger were affected.
“What we are doing is not demolishing the whole of Makoko. We are clearing areas to ensure they do not encroach on the Third Mainland Bridge and to keep residents away from high-tension lines,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also accused some advocacy groups of misrepresenting the situation, alleging that certain local and international non-governmental organisations were exploiting the issue for financial gain.
“We are aware that some local and international NGOs want to profit from this. They make so much money from international donors and have asked for large grants concerning these areas, only to cover their own falsehoods and the fact that they have not done what they promised. That is why they are shouting and crying more than the bereaved,” the governor said.
He revealed that the state government had been engaging stakeholders and community representatives for over two years before commencing the demolitions, adding that delaying action could have resulted in a major tragedy.
To reduce the hardship faced by affected residents, Sanwo-Olu said the government had directed relevant authorities to roll out support measures.
“By the way, I’ve instructed both the local government and the relevant ministries to see how they can provide additional support, palliatives, relocation options, and grants for some of these people, just to show compassion,” he stated.
