Residents of Ikota and Lekki in Lagos State have issued a Save-Our-Souls (SOS) appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu after Tuesday’s torrential rainfall turned their neighborhoods into flood zones.
Homes, roads, and businesses were submerged, with families forced to wade through waist-deep floods.
Residents blamed illegal structures built on canals and drainage channels, accusing developers of blocking natural waterways and the government of failing to enforce planning regulations.
Residents claimed that buildings on waterways and drainage channels were exacerbating the flooding.
They accused developers of blocking natural waterways and alleged that government agencies have failed to enforce existing planning regulations.
“Until the government restores this area according to the original master plan, the flooding will not stop,” another homeowner said, speaking while standing in knee-deep water.
Urban planning experts confirm that Lagos’ master plan prohibits construction on waterways but warned that enforcement has been weak and sometimes selective.
Many residents alleged that influential developers were protected from sanctions, leaving ordinary Lagosians to suffer the consequences.
The devastation extends beyond property losses. Families are repeatedly displaced, livelihoods are destroyed, and stagnant water heightens the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Environmental advocates warned that unless urgent action is taken to clear blocked canals and remove illegal encroachments, Lagos is heading for a major public health and humanitarian crisis.
“Every illegal structure is a ticking time bomb for nearby communities once the rains return.
“As Ikota and Lekki residents count their losses yet again, their plea to the Lagos State Government is unambiguous: clear the drains, enforce planning laws, and prevent another rainy season from turning their communities into disaster zones,” one activist stated.
