By Sesi Noah The Lagos State Government has blamed Tuesday’s flooding in Lekki and surrounding areas on illegal constructions and indiscrim...
By Sesi Noah
The Lagos State Government has blamed Tuesday’s flooding in Lekki and surrounding areas on illegal constructions and indiscriminate waste dumping.
Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, in a statement on his X handle, sympathised with affected residents but stressed that activities such as building on floodplains and dumping refuse in drainage channels worsen the problem.
Heavy downpour in the early hours of the day left many parts of Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah and nearby areas submerged. Roads, shops, and homes were flooded, with vehicles trapped in water for hours. The situation crippled movement across the city, forcing some commuters to remain stranded until late into the night.
Frustrated residents flooded social media with complaints, calling on the government to take more decisive action.
Wahab explained that, as a coastal city, Lagos is naturally prone to flooding, especially when heavy rainfall coincides with tidal lock. He said the government was committed to improving flood management but urged residents to play their part by keeping the environment clean, avoiding illegal reclamations, and staying away from building on waterways.
“The flooding around House on the Rock church, for instance, was linked to illegal construction and waste disposal. These activities make flooding worse and must stop,” he warned.
The Commissioner assured that most of the waterlogged areas had dried up by the following morning.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) urged residents not to panic, noting that the situation was under control. Its Southwest Coordinator, Tunde Mohammed, said officers were monitoring closely and there was no immediate cause for alarm.
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