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Makoko Demolition Part Of Safety, Environmental Policy, Says Lagos Govt
The Lagos Government has again defended the Makoko demolition, explaining that the action forms part of a broader statewide safety and environmental policy aimed at preventing disasters linked to unsafe settlements, fire outbreaks, and high-risk infrastructure locations.
This is according to the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on eGIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, who spoke during a press briefing held at Alausa, Ikeja.
Babatunde said the state’s intervention in Makoko was driven primarily by the need to protect lives, particularly in areas located beneath high-tension power lines.
According to him, similar clearance exercises had been carried out in several parts of Lagos following fatal incidents caused by fallen power cables, stressing that Makoko was not singled out for enforcement.
“Clearing of high-tension corridors is a safety requirement across Lagos State. The action taken in Makoko is consistent with what has been done in other communities,” he said.
He explained that the government had earlier explored multiple redevelopment options for Makoko, including a proposed shoreline extension project.
However, the plan was discontinued after environmental assessments by technical experts, construction firms, and international partners indicated that it posed significant ecological risks to the lagoon and surrounding marine life.
According to him, the state has since adopted the Water Cities Project as a more sustainable alternative, which allows for continued habitation of the fishing community while addressing sanitation, infrastructure, and environmental concerns.
Babatunde disclosed that the Lagos State Government has committed $2 million to the project and continues to engage international development partners for counterpart funding and technical support.
He also highlighted the government’s broader urban regeneration strategy, which prioritises stakeholder engagement, compensation, and resettlement where relocation becomes unavoidable.
The aide previous regeneration projects in Okobaba, Adeniji-Adele, and Dosunmu as examples where redevelopment was achieved through consultation and negotiated agreements with affected residents and traders.
The Special Adviser pointed to recurring fire incidents, building collapses, and poor access for emergency services in densely populated settlements as key reasons for enforcing building codes, minimum setbacks, and land pooling in regeneration areas.
He said Lagos State is working to align its urban development policies with international standards and conventions that guarantee the right to adequate and safe shelter, adding that unsafe housing conditions ultimately place residents at greater risk.
The Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has commiserated with the Government and people of Kano State over the devastating fire outbreak at Singa Market in Kano.
The inferno reportedly destroyed properties worth over ₦5 billion, affected more than 1,000 businesses, and left seven persons missing.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Abiodun described the incident as one of the most unfortunate tragedies in the history of the market.
He sympathised with traders who lost valuable goods and properties, urging them not to lose hope, assuring that the Kano State Government would take necessary steps to support affected victims.
According to him, the destruction of four residential buildings housing small-scale businesses, alongside the loss of equipment, merchandise, and other valuables, was a heavy blow to the livelihoods of many families.
The Ogun State Governor also called on market authorities and relevant local government officials to implement measures to prevent future occurrences.
He said: “On behalf of my colleagues in the Southern Governors’ Forum, I commiserate with the Kano State Government and the traders affected by this unfortunate incident.
“This fire outbreak has caused tremendous damage, but I urge those affected not to despair.
“The Kano State Government, under the leadership of Abba Kabir Yusuf, is doing everything humanly possible to bring the situation under control and assist the victims.”
China confirmed that Canadian and British citizens will be able to visit the country visa-free from Tuesday, after the two countries’ leaders had announced such agreements following official trips to Beijing.
British and Canadian prime ministers Keir Starmer and Mark Carney both visited Beijing in January, seeking to bolster relations with China and pivot from the increasingly mercurial United States.
Both leaders had hailed progress following meetings with top Chinese leaders such as President Xi Jinping, including on issues like visa-free access for their citizens to China.
Beijing’s foreign ministry confirmed these agreements on Sunday, saying Canadian and British citizens will be able to travel to China visa-free from Tuesday, with the policy in effect until December 31.
“Holders of ordinary passports from these countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges, or transit for a period not exceeding 30 days,” it said in a statement.
This was to “further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries”, it added.
A lawsuit has been filed by the Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, against the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, over its alleged failure to account for N3 trillion in public funds, including over N629 billion reportedly paid to “unknown beneficiaries” under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/250/2026, was filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
SERAP stated that this lawsuit followed grave allegations contained in the latest annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation, which was published on 9 September 2025.
It further stated that it wants the court to compel CBN to account for the missing funds as well as explanations on how the money is spent.
The plaintiffs argued that the alleged violations constitute a breach of public trust and contravene the provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended), the CBN Act, and established anti-corruption standards.
The statement issued by SERAP on its official handle read, “We’ve sued @cenbank over failure to account for and explain the whereabouts of the missing or diverted N3 trillion of public funds, including the over N629 billion paid to ‘unknown beneficiaries’ as part of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.
“The lawsuit followed the grave allegations contained in the latest annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation, which was published on 9 September 2025.
“In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/250/2026 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja, we are seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel the CBN to account for and explain the whereabouts of the missing or diverted N3 trillion of public funds, including detailed reports of how exactly the funds were spent.
“These grim allegations by the Auditor-General suggest grave violations of the public trust, the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the CBN Act, and anti-corruption standards.
“These grave violations also reflect a failure of CBN accountability more generally and are directly linked to the institution’s persistent failure to comply with its Act and to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.
“Nigerians have the right to know the whereabouts of the missing or diverted public funds. Granting the reliefs sought would advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee of non-repetition.“
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