NO PAYOUT FOR DEMOLISHED HOMES: LAGOS GOVT TO DISPLACED RESIDENTS

Sanwo-Olu to Launch New Agency to Reclaim 3,000 Hectares of Idle Land as Displaced Residents Protest on Third Mainland Bridge

The Lagos State Government has drawn a hard line on illegal developments, declaring that no compensation will be paid to owners of demolished properties along Iyana Oworo and the Lekki coastlines.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, made the disclosure on Wednesday during the maiden quarterly media parley on the Lagos Physical Environment, held at Alausa, Ikeja.

Responding to mounting concerns over the plight of displaced Oworosonki residents, Olumide said bluntly:

> “There is no plan by the state government to compensate Oworosonki residents who were displaced in the demolition of illegal structures. However, the governor has the prerogative to approve compensation if he deems it necessary.”



The demolitions, which left many families stranded, have sparked outrage across affected communities. Over the weekend, Ojulari Community residents were forcefully evicted as bulldozers rolled in to pull down unapproved structures sitting on coastal zones.

The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) spearheaded the operation, which officials insist is part of a wider push to safeguard the environment from unregulated construction and encroachment on critical waterways.

But the action has not gone unchallenged. On Monday, angry and displaced residents stormed the Third Mainland Bridge, blocking traffic for hours in a dramatic protest that left thousands of commuters stranded. The protesters demanded government compensation, accusing the authorities of insensitivity and heavy-handedness.

Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is preparing to launch a new agency that will oversee the recovery and transformation of underutilized spaces across the state. According to Olumide, over 3,000 hectares of land in Lagos remain unused. The government plans to reclaim and redesign these spaces for modern facilities such as parking lots, gardens, shopping malls, and recreational centres — in collaboration with the private sector.

This move comes just days after the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development raised an alarm over the rampant dredging of Lagos waterways, revealing that about 10,625 cubic metres of sand are extracted daily. Experts warn the unchecked activity could destabilize the ecosystem, destroy aquatic habitats, and potentially lead to the collapse of the lagoon and waterfronts.

The unfolding situation underscores Lagos’ delicate balancing act between urban expansion, environmental sustainability, and the human cost of its aggressive drive toward megacity status.