By: Manoah Kikekon
 |
| Lagos State Assembly and Demolition in |
LAGOS, Nigeria — In a critical move to address the escalating humanitarian crisis at the Makoko waterfront, the Lagos State House of Assembly has officially invited community leaders to a high-stakes meeting this Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
The invitation follows weeks of outcry and a formal petition submitted by residents who claim a government demolition exercise has spiraled out of control, leaving thousands homeless and resulting in reported fatalities.
According to a letter signed by the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, the Committee on Rules and Business will meet with community representatives at 10:00 a.m. at the Assembly Complex in Alausa, Ikeja.
The community leaders have been directed to bring all relevant documents to the Chamber’s Conference Room to facilitate "fruitful deliberations." This meeting represents the first formal window for dialogue after months of sustained unrest in one of the world’s most famous floating settlements.
The core of the community’s grievance lies in a perceived "betrayal" regarding the scope of the demolition. Community chief Francis Samson alleged that while the initial agreement with the state government was to clear structures within 30 metres of high-tension power lines for safety, the bulldozers didn't stop there.
"When the government came, we expected them to clear the 30 metres... but the demolition continued," Samson told PUNCH Metro. "Where they eventually stopped is about 520 metres. The waterfront communities have been destroyed."
Residents claim the expanded demolition zone has wiped out schools, clinics, and ancestral homes that were nowhere near the power line setbacks.
The human cost of the exercise has been devastating. With their wooden homes splintered, many displaced residents primarily fishermen have resorted to living inside boats on the lagoon. Others are squatting in overcrowded structures that have yet to be reached by the task force.
The community reports a harrowing toll: Fatalities: Five deaths have been reported, including three children.
A local carpenter, Papa Eve Amossou, shared the heartbreaking story of losing his three-week-old daughter. His wife reportedly jumped into the lagoon to escape tear gas fired by security forces; though rescued, the infant was confirmed dead at the hospital. As a fishing-dependent community, the displacement has effectively cut off the residents' primary source of income.
As they head to Alausa on Tuesday, community leaders like Oluwo Felix Fasinu are demanding clarity.
Clear Boundaries: A definitive demarcation of where residents can and cannot build.
Resettlement: If relocation is mandatory, residents are pleading for a riverside location that allows them to continue their fishing profession.
Compensation: Redress for structures destroyed outside the originally agreed-upon 30-metre safety zone.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Stephen Ogundipe, has yet to comment on the developing situation.