Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili yesterday engaged in a heated exchange over the recent demolition in Makoko, Lagos.
Ezekwesili condemned the action as “unconstitutional, inhumane and a state-sanctioned oppression of the poor,” accusing both the Lagos and federal governments of using safety and urban development as a cover to displace vulnerable residents.
In a strongly worded memorandum addressed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sanwo-Olu, Ezekwesili argued that Makoko residents are Nigerian citizens whose rights are being violated because of poverty.
She questioned whether Lagos prioritizes human dignity or land value, and accused authorities of treating poverty as a reason to strip people of their citizenship rights.
Ezekwesili claimed that the demolition exceeded earlier assurances that only structures within a 30 to 50-metre corridor from high-tension power lines would be affected.
She alleged the operation extended between 277 and 522 metres, destroying homes, schools, clinics, and livelihoods, while also alleging that at least four people were killed during the exercise.
She described the demolition as “class cleansing,” aimed at clearing the waterfront for elite interests.
Governor Sanwo-Olu defended the exercise as necessary for public safety, especially due to illegal buildings under high-tension lines.
He dismissed the criticism as exaggerated and suggested that some local and international NGOs were exploiting the crisis for financial gain.
The governor said these groups had secured substantial international funding but failed to deliver on promised support.
Sanwo-Olu added that the alleged profiteering explains why NGOs are “crying more than the bereaved,” and warned that the state government is monitoring their activities and would present evidence soon.
He reiterated that the demolition was carried out in the interest of safety and urban development, insisting that the state would continue to act in the public’s best interest.