Residents of Ikota and parts of Lekki on the Lagos Island have cried out in frustration after Tuesday’s downpour turned their neighbourhoods into flood zones, leaving homes, shops, and entire streets swallowed by water.
Videos and pictures seen by SaharaReporters showed residents wading through knee-deep water, salvaging personal belongings while businesses were destroyed.
“This is no way to live,” a distraught resident lamented. “Every rainfall is a disaster. We are losing everything while the government watches.”
The residents blamed the recurring flooding on man-made causes, namely illegal structures built on canals and drainage channels particularly System 156 and 157 drainage channels.
They accused developers of blocking waterways and the Lagos State government of failing to enforce its own planning laws.
“Until the government restores this area according to the original master plan, the flooding will not stop,” another homeowner said, standing in knee-deep water.
Urban planners confirm that Lagos’ master plan prohibits construction on waterways, but enforcement has been weak and sometimes selective.
Many residents believe that powerful developers are shielded from sanctions by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government, leaving ordinary Lagosians to bear the brunt of the consequences.
The impact of the flooding goes beyond damaged property. It displaces families, destroys livelihoods, and threatens public health as stagnant water increases the risk of disease outbreaks.
Environmental advocates warn that Lagos is heading toward a major disaster unless canals are urgently cleared and illegal encroachments removed.
“Every illegal structure is a ticking time bomb for nearby communities once the rains return,” an activist cautioned.
The Lagos State government had also attributed Tuesday’s flooding in Lekki to infractions such as illegal constructions and indiscriminate disposal of waste.
The Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the explanation in a statement on his X account where he sympathised with affected residents.
Many residents returning from work could not get to their destinations until past 10pm, while some others were on the road till past midnight.
A lot of the affected residents who took to social media to lament the situation, called on the state government to take steps to address the issue.
