Lagos residents express frustration over recurring flood

Many residents of Lagos State are not finding it funny following the flooding of their homes, streets and business centres in the last three days

They expressed their frustrations over what they described as “unfortunate incident”, seeing their valuables destroyed and children’s school activities disrupted as a result of the deluge.

They lamented that the prolonged downpour, which continued on Tuesday, has worsened their situations, causing fresh panic among residents.

Heavy downpour, flash flood

In Agungi, Lagos, the floodwater covered both the streets and drainages to the extent that residents and children had no option than to wallow through the flood to workplaces and schools.

Some children were taken by boats to nearby schools and people were seen trekking while school buses were trapped in the deluge.

However, some shop owners in the area locked their outlets as a result of the flooding.

In Amuwo-Odofin, the floodwater covered some roads.

In other parts of Lagos, as of the time of filing this report, there were limited scenes where flash floods were experienced within the metropolis.

For instance, besides Awolowo Road, in Ikoyi, on the Island, and Onike Iwaya, around Yaba, on Lagos Mainland, where flash floods were experienced, the streets and roads were relatively free, compared to what was witnessed within the metropolis on Sunday, when the city experienced a similar downpour.

At Iwaya, around the headquarters of the popular Mountain of Fire Ministry (MFM), residents in the adjoining neighbourhood were seen making efforts to salvage their properties that were gradually being submerged in the flood.

Cars parked on some of the ever-busy streets in the area were almost submerged in the flood, while the canal by the fence of the church, nearby, was filled to the brim.

“It was difficult stepping out this morning, because everywhere was flooded. Some people were packing water out of their houses.

“I had to enter the water to school for my remaining classes for the day because I already missed one,” said Wumi Akinwalere, a student of University of Lagos.

Unfortunately, despite the several warnings by the state government to residents on the need to keep water drainages and canals free of refuse and debris, some residents were seen emptying their waste into the canals.

“We’ve not seen these PSP people in the past few weeks, and the refuse has been mounting. We have to make good use of the opportunity offered by this rain,” said a resident, who craved anonymity, while challenged by the Nigerian Tribune, on the propriety or otherwise of her action.

Ogun residents lament

Residents of Onibuku, Ota, in Ogun State, are also counting their losses after a prolonged downpour that began on Monday afternoon and persisted almost until Tuesday afternoon, leaving roads submerged, properties damaged and many pupils unable to attend school.

The rainfall started with intense showers before easing briefly in the evening.

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Residents also battled severe flooding, as drainage channels overflowed, making movement within the neighbourhood difficult.

The situation particularly affected schoolchildren, with many pupils forced to remain at home because parents could neither walk nor drive through the flooded roads.

One parent, Taiwo Kuton, who managed to take his children to New Crown Star Academy, Onibuku, attributed his success solely to the availability of a car.

Another parent, Peter Utulu, described the rainfall as one of the heaviest the community had experienced in recent times, but said proximity to the school compelled him to brave the weather.

“The rain actually started again around midnight, and when we woke up, it was still pouring heavily. I had to risk bringing my child to school because we live close to the school,” he explained.

A community leader, who operates a bar along the submerged road, at Baba-Ode bus-stop in Idedo area, elder Joseph Nwobobo, said the “rain is an eye opener for future occurrence.”

Nwobodo called on the Ogun State government, and relevant emergency agencies to improve drainage infrastructure in the area, warning that unless urgent measures are taken, future downpours could result in more extensive damage to lives and property.

Lagos govt warns resident

Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has assured residents that it is committed to safeguarding lives, property and public infrastructure through enforcement of environmental laws and continuous investment in resilient drainage infrastructure.

The government said that it will remove all illegal structures obstructing canals and drainage channels’ right of way along Agungi, Ajiran and Ikota areas of the state.

The state government reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating perennial flooding across Lagos, regardless of the status of developers or individuals responsible for the encroachments.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, made this known after an inspection tour of critical drainage infrastructure and flood mitigation projects in Lekki, Agungi, Ikota and Ajiran.

He said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also approved the immediate dredging and maintenance of 28 additional primary channels across the state.

The inspection followed persistent reports of flooding in Agungi despite the completion of major drainage infrastructure in the area over two years ago.

Speaking during the tour, the commissioner disclosed that the inspection uncovered a major obstruction responsible for the recurring flooding at Ajiran, where a land-owning family was discovered to have blocked the Ajiran outfall channel.

According to him, the family had illegally obstructed the outlet of a primary drainage channel leading directly into the Lagos Lagoon, preventing stormwater from flowing freely out of the community.

He explained that the drainage infrastructure was specifically designed to discharge floodwater by gravity into the Lagoon, stressing that blocking the outlet had significantly impaired the effectiveness of the system.

“We discovered that the outlet into the lagoon had been deliberately blocked; without opening that channel, the water cannot leave the area. We have, therefore, directed that it be reopened immediately in the overriding public interest,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the flooding situation in Agungi and Ajiran is unique because the communities depend on a dedicated drainage channel that conveys stormwater through Chevron Drive into the Lagos Lagoon.

He warned that when drainage channels are blocked, residents ultimately bear the consequences through severe flooding, despite significant public investment in drainage infrastructure.

“You can imagine the level of flooding within the community, and eventually, the government gets blamed for inadequate infrastructure. Taxpayers’ money is being used to construct and maintain these drainage channels; residents should not make the situation worse by blocking them. We will continue to open up blocked drainage channels wherever they are found in the overriding public interest,” he said.