The Lagos State Government has defended the demolition of structures in Makoko, a waterfront community, saying the exercise was carried out to protect lives and prevent potential disasters.
Speaking at a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, said the state has a responsibility to safeguard residents, provided such actions do not infringe on the rights of others.
According to him, many of the wooden buildings erected on the water were situated directly beneath high-tension power cables, posing serious risks to occupants.
Mr Omotoso explained that the decision to clear the affected structures was taken in the interest of public safety and to preserve the dignity of residents living in hazardous conditions.
The Governor’s Special Adviser on E-GIS and Urban Development, Dr Babatunde Olajide, also addressed journalists, stressing that urban regeneration remains a core policy of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Dr Olajide said traders and residents displaced during earlier demolitions at Pele Wura, Pele Wura Onirin and Bombata Markets on Lagos Island, as well as other locations across the state, were duly compensated.
On the Makoko exercise, he described the removal of buildings within high-tension corridors as part of a statewide safety programme.
He further disclosed that the government is committed to implementing the Water Cities Project in Makoko and other waterfront settlements as part of long-term urban renewal efforts.
The state government urged residents to cooperate with urban planning authorities, assuring that public safety would continue to guide its interventions across Lagos.