The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated that the recent demolition in parts of Makoko was carried out in the best interest of the public. He explained that the relocation of displaced residents from Okobaba to Agbowa cost the government billions of naira.

Meanwhile, the governor has appealed to individuals and organisations to financially support his administration’s efforts to sustain the security of lives and property in the state through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF).

Sanwo-Olu made the appeal during a private breakfast meeting with select Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers of various companies, organised by the LSSTF in Ikoyi, Lagos, to raise funds for critical security needs in 2026. He assured residents that his administration remains committed to keeping Lagos safe and secure.

Makoko Protest
Reacting to recent demonstrations against the demolition in Makoko, Sanwo-Olu said the government’s action was necessary to protect lives and property.

“I have been accused of destroying Makoko. You will notice shanties sprawling by the Third Mainland Bridge. The challenge is that they were expanding at an incredible speed and getting dangerously close to the bridge. There are also high-tension power lines underneath.

“I cannot sit back and watch a disaster happen where hundreds of lives could be lost in a single day. What we did was simply to push them back. For six years, a United Nations agency promised to support development if I provided funds. I did, but they never returned. Just last week, they admitted they had no money.

“Of what benefit would it be for the government to dislocate people? It can only be for their safety. We will not sit back and allow a tragedy to occur and then be blamed for inaction. Some NGOs collect thousands of dollars from donor countries, making videos of children missing school, only for pecuniary gain. It is a shame.

“I want people to be assured that we are not taking anything away from anybody. We are simply trying to make life better for our people.”

Okobaba Relocation
Sanwo-Olu also highlighted how his administration resolved the long-standing Okobaba sawmill problem.

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“Okobaba was a place that experienced fire outbreaks almost every month. It took us over 10 to 15 years, but we relocated them to Agbowa. It cost billions, and we built over 500 houses for them. That is why you no longer hear of fire incidents there.”

Schools Commissioning
The governor disclosed plans to commission 35 junior and senior schools with about 22,000 students in the Tolu Community, Ajegunle, next month.

“We are dealing with many issues, but we must keep our people safe. We must create an environment where investments continue to flow and the future is secured. Several new investors are planning to come in, and we must assure them that Lagos is the right place.”

Boosting Security
Sanwo-Olu listed some of the state’s critical security needs, including multipurpose helicopters and drones, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, tactical training and infrastructure upgrades for the police, digital communication equipment, smart CCTV cameras, vehicles, and an ultra-modern mechanical workshop.
He noted that past interventions by the LSSTF were well utilised to empower security agencies, adding that the model has been adopted by other subnational and federal governments.

“On a year-on-year basis, the Lagos State Government has never abdicated its responsibility. We still fund over 50 per cent of security operations annually. But we want the private sector to trust that their support is judiciously used. There is accountability, and funds are transparently deployed.

“We are rebuilding the Command and Control Centre with state-of-the-art equipment. We are installing CCTV cameras under the safe city model. We initially planned between 5,000 and 10,000 cameras for Lagos alone. We have not gone far yet, but we want to scale it up.
“Our goal is to ensure Lagos remains secure, while improving the rescue capacity and capability of our first responders.”