The Lagos State Government has attributed the recent flash floods that disrupted movement across parts of the state to uncontrolled building practices and indiscriminate waste disposal by residents.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said several neighborhoods were submerged following heavy rainfall, not only because of natural factors but also due to human activities that block drainage systems.
Wahab explained that investigations by the ministry revealed that some property owners had erected structures on drainage channels, while others converted flood plains into residential sites. “When you build on natural waterways or dump refuse into the drains, the system collapses. The flooding we are experiencing is largely a consequence of lawlessness and disregard for urban planning rules,” he said.
He added that the government had already identified dozens of illegal structures obstructing free water flow in flood-prone areas and warned that demolition exercises would soon commence. According to him, such enforcement measures are necessary to protect lives, property, and the city’s infrastructure.
The commissioner also decried the widespread dumping of plastic waste and non-biodegradable materials into canals, noting that they choke water channels and intensify flooding during heavy rainfall. He urged residents to embrace responsible waste disposal, warning that the state will strengthen its environmental monitoring task force to punish violators.
While reassuring Lagosians that ongoing dredging and expansion of major drainage networks would help ease the problem, Wahab cautioned that no amount of government investment would succeed unless residents supported the effort by changing their behavior.
The flash floods, which occurred after a downpour lasting several hours, left roads impassable in parts of Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, and the mainland, causing gridlock and damaging several vehicles.
Environmental experts argue that with Lagos’ rapid urbanization and its coastal location, sustainable drainage systems and strict enforcement of planning regulations remain critical to mitigating future floods.
