Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has accused some local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of exploiting the Makoko community for financial gain, insisting that their opposition to recent demolitions is driven by profit, not concern for residents.
The governor made the claim on Monday, 9 January 2026, during the signing of the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law at Lagos House in Ikeja.
Addressing criticisms surrounding the ongoing demolition of structures in Makoko, Sanwo-Olu said the state government has no interest in destroying people’s homes without reason, stressing that the exercise is strictly about public safety and infrastructure protection.
“Of what interest will it be to the government to unduly demolish anybody’s house, if it’s not for the overall safety of the citizens we are talking about?” the governor asked.
He explained that many of the demolished structures were built directly under high-tension power lines and close to the Third Mainland Bridge, in violation of existing safety regulations.
According to him, the law requires a clearance of between 150 and 250 metres from high-tension power lines, a regulation he said had been ignored for years.
“They built shanties right under the high-tension wire. The regulation is clear. We are not demolishing the whole of Makoko. We are clearing people so they do not get close to the Third Mainland Bridge and to keep them off the high-tension wire,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu rejected claims that the government intends to wipe out Makoko, describing such narratives as false and deliberately misleading.
He alleged that some NGOs have deliberately exaggerated the situation because they benefit financially from the crisis.
“We are aware that there are some local and international NGOs that want to profit from this,” the governor said. “They make so much money from international donors. They have collected so many grants in the name of Makoko, and it is just to cover their lies and the fact that they have not done what they said they were going to do.”
The governor added that the state government has been monitoring the activities of these organisations and has gathered evidence to support its claims.
“We have evidence, we have videos. We have communications that we have done with them for two and a half years,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu insisted that the outcry from these groups is disproportionate and self-serving, describing their reaction as “crying more than the bereaved.”
“That is why they are all shouting and crying more than the bereaved,” he said. “We are here to face them and let them see the reason why we should do what we are doing.”
The governor maintained that the government’s responsibility is first to protect lives, especially in areas exposed to serious risks such as electrocution and structural collapse.
He said the state would continue to act in the interest of public safety, regardless of criticism, while promising that evidence of NGO misconduct would be made public.
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