By Sesi Noah Hundreds of residents were left stranded over the weekend as the Lagos State Government rolled out a massive demolition exerci...
By Sesi Noah
Hundreds of residents were left stranded over the weekend as the Lagos State Government rolled out a massive demolition exercise targeting unapproved buildings and shanties along the Iyana Oworonshoki and Lekki coastal areas.
The operation, which began in the early hours of Saturday, was carried out by a joint enforcement team led by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), supported by bulldozers, heavy machinery, and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
Confusion broke out around midnight in Ojulari Community, Oworonshoki, when residents were abruptly woken up to the sound of bulldozers moving in on their homes. Tensions flared as security operatives reportedly fired tear gas, but calm was later restored when occupants were allowed brief moments to salvage some of their belongings.
By dawn, scores of families had been displaced, their properties reduced to rubble. The state government accused the affected residents of erecting illegal structures on coastal lines without approval.
Officials explained that the demolitions were necessary to curb environmental degradation, warning that unchecked dredging and illegal constructions were threatening the state’s fragile ecosystem. The Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure recently raised alarm that more than 10,000 cubic metres of sand are being dredged daily in Lagos—activities they say could destabilise the lagoon, destroy aquatic life, and even cause parts of the waterfront to collapse.
Following appeals from residents, authorities later suspended the demolition exercise for two weeks to allow more time for occupants to remove their belongings. While the Oworonshoki operation focused on unapproved buildings on reclaimed land, the Lekki exercise targeted shanties believed to be hideouts for miscreants accused of harassing road users and violating environmental laws.
The demolitions come ahead of the maiden Lagos State Waterfront Summit, scheduled to begin on September 11, 2025, in Victoria Island. The three-day event, themed “Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience”, will gather over 500 experts to discuss coastal erosion, illegal dredging, and sustainable solutions for protecting Lagos’ waterfronts.
Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, said coastal erosion has already wiped out communities like Idotun Village in Ibeju-Lekki, leaving families homeless. He noted that Lagos is not alone, citing similar challenges in Ghana’s Keta Municipality.
“Coastal erosion is a regional problem with global implications,” Alebiosu warned. “Lagos must act fast to protect its people, its infrastructure, and its economy.”
The commissioner added that the state is working with the Netherlands—renowned for its water management expertise—to find lasting solutions. He stressed that while tackling threats like illegal dredging is crucial, Lagos must also harness the lagoon’s economic opportunities in transportation, tourism, fishing, and trade.
“The lagoon is not just water,” he said. “It is our heritage, our economy, and our future. Protecting it is a collective responsibility.”
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