The Lagos State Assembly has directed ministries and agencies to stop the ongoing demolition exercise in Makoko, Oko-Afon, and Shogunro communities following concerns raised by residents.

The Monday meeting, led by the Assembly’s Majority Leader and Chairman of the House Committee on Makoko Demolition, Noheem Adams, aimed to address the impact of the demolitions and to assess the situation on the ground.

Adams said lawmakers would conduct on-site inspections and oversee the formation of a Taskforce Committee with elected community leaders to engage directly with the government.

Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, assured residents that the government has no plans to wipe out Makoko and that the demolition had been paused.

He added that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had allocated $2 million for the community’s development and promised compensation for those affected.

While the assembly criticized the distribution of food relief by the Yaba LCDA chairman, stressing the community needed shelter more than palliatives, officials maintained that the demolition had been initially necessary for safety and urban renewal, targeting structures built within 100 metres of high-tension transmission lines crossing the lagoon.