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The Lagos State Government has warned residents to brace for more flash floods in the coming weeks and urged those living in flood-prone communities to relocate to safer areas.
The warning follows widespread flooding in recent weeks across parts of the state, with heavy rainfall submerging roads and homes, disrupting businesses, and leaving commuters stranded.
Between Sunday and Tuesday, flooding inundated major roads and residential areas, particularly in Lekki, forcing many residents to evacuate water from their homes while traffic ground to a halt in several parts of Lagos.
Speaking during an inspection of the demolition of illegal structures and shanties erected on the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, appealed to residents to support the government’s efforts to tackle flooding and environmental degradation.
According to him, the demolition was carried out on the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Wahab attributed the recent flooding to heavy rainfall coinciding with high tidal levels, which temporarily prevented stormwater from draining into the lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.
“Flash flooding is basically when the sea level is high. When it rains heavily, stormwater cannot discharge into the lagoon or its designated outlet. It will be held back for about one or two hours,” he said.
“Even after the rain stops, within one or two hours, the water will recede because nature allows it to return to the discharge point. That’s why we call it flash flooding.”
The commissioner added that illegal land reclamation by private landowners had also contributed to flooding in parts of the state.
He urged residents to dispose of waste only through their designated Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, warning that dumping refuse on roads, drainage channels and road medians significantly worsens flooding.
Wahab also said the government would strictly enforce the ban on trading and other illegal activities on the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
“We just need to see the level of compliance and the level of work that has been done based on the directive of the governor.
“We’ve drawn the line on the ground. It’s a major highway. Billions of taxpayers’ money have been spent to put this infrastructure in place. Over the past few years, we’ve continued to engage those occupying the median and move them away.
“This operation is intended to permanently restore order. Businesses must observe the required setback, and the median must remain free for the benefit of all road users,” he said.
On measures to prevent displaced occupants from returning, Wahab said enforcement teams would maintain regular surveillance of the corridor.
“We will continue to patrol and monitor every day,” he said.
He added that the wide median had been reserved for the proposed rail line and could not be used for trading or any other commercial activity.
