The Lagos State Government has issued a 48-hour vacation notice to squatters and property owners with illegal structures along the Gbagada-Bariga drainage channel.
This was announced by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, aims to address the persistent flooding issues in the area.
In a recent post on X.com, Wahab stated that the drainage channel, useful for deflooding Bariga, Gbagada, Sholuyi downstream communities, and nearby environs, has been obstructed by illegal structures. These obstructions have exacerbated flooding during heavy rainfall, as seen during a recent 10-hour downpour that paralyzed business and commercial activities across Lagos and Ogun states.
Wahab’s statement read: “The drainage channel, which defloods Bariga, Gbagada, Sholuyi downstream communities, and environs, and discharges into System 1, has been taken over by squatters who have constituted nuisance and security risks to the estate, and property owners who deliberately built to obstruct the free flow of water in the area. Shanties were erected along the length of the channel, and their activities blocked collectors that are supposed to carry stormwater into the channel, resulting in the flooding experienced during the week.”
Upon expiration of the eviction notices, the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources will begin the removal of the obstructing structures to ensure proper water flow and mitigate future flooding.
