Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has alleged that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs), both local and international, are exploiting the demolition exercise in the Makoko area of the state for financial gain.
Sanwo-Olu made the allegation while addressing journalists, insisting that the state government was aware of attempts by certain organisations to profit from issues arising from the demolition.
“We are aware that there are some local and international NGOs that want to profit from this. We’re studying, and we’re going to show you evidence,” the governor said.
According to him, the organisations had attracted substantial funding from international donors under false pretences, claiming to intervene on behalf of affected residents without delivering on their promises.
“They’ve made so much money from international people. And they’ve asked for so many grants and wealth into those places, and it’s just for them to cover their own lies and the fact that they’ve not done what they said they were going to be doing,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu accused the NGOs of amplifying public outcry over the demolitions to mask their own failures, adding that the government was prepared to confront them with facts.
“That’s why they’re all shouting and crying more than the bereaved. And we’re here to face them and to let them see the reasons why we have to do what we’re doing,” he added.
The governor also dismissed what he described as misleading narratives surrounding the demolition exercise, stressing that the government’s actions were driven by safety concerns rather than malice.
“There have been several issues and stories here and there on what we’re doing. They mention that we’re doing Makoko and the rest of it,” he said.
He explained that many of the affected structures were erected under high-tension power lines, posing serious risks to residents.
“Of what interest will it be for the government to want to unduly demolish anybody’s property if it is not for the overall safety of the citizens that we’re talking about?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“A lot of these people have built the shanties right under the high-tension wires,” he added.
The governor maintained that Lagos could not afford to ignore such dangers, warning that inaction could result in disaster.
“We cannot be a lawless state of people. Something has to give at some point because we cannot fold our arms and let calamity or disaster happen,” he said.
In September 2025, the Lagos State Government announced plans to remove illegal structures built under high-tension cables in the Makoko community, Yaba area of Lagos.
Makoko, often described as a waterfront settlement, is divided into land-based and lagoon-based communities made up largely of wooden shanties. The area sits within Lagos, one of the world’s largest cities, with an estimated population exceeding 15 million.
