Lagos asks some residents of Lekki, Ikorodu to temporarily relocate over flash flooding

Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources in Lagos, has asked some residents of Lekki and Ajegunle to relocate to “upland areas” over impending flash floods. 

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, Wahab warned that the Ikorodu coastline also makes the red list.

In the early hours of Monday, houses and vehicles were submerged in some parts of the city following torrential rainfall.

During the interview, Wahab was asked to list areas that are prone to flooding.

He said the volume of rainfall will determine water levels in some parts of Lekki.

The commissioner added that Lagos will experience flash flooding owing to the “vagaries of climate change”, noting that the state government will provide resilient infrastructure to combat the scenario.

“We knew this was going to happen. NiMet (Nigerian Meteorological Agency) gave us a forecast as early as March and by April, we had commenced the advocacy and briefed Lagosians about five times in the past three months,” he said.

“We are going to have more rains this year than we had last year. And for those who stay on the lowland of Lagos, they may have to move to the upland pending when rain recedes.

“On the red, those around the Ajilete axis of Lagos, that’s Ajegunle, they have to move. Those around the coastlines of Ikorodu, around Majidun, they have to move.

“Some areas around the Lekki corridor, some not all… because their tidal level depends on the volume of the rain, they will be in amber, so they (referring to Lekki communities) are very few. 

“Epe has always been safe; Ikeja and Mushin will be safe. The whole land areas I just mentioned are those that are bordering the Ogun River — those staying around the Channels television station in Lagos down that road — the Isheri corridor.”

Wahab added that the Lagos state government will always tell residents the truth.

“Thankfully, the federal government, through the Ogun-Osun River Basin, had awarded the dredging of the Ogun River channels to help reduce the flooding; they should be on amber by now and the Ajilete corridor around the Agboyi-Ketu axis of Lagos,” he said. 

“We won’t tell Lagosians lies. Lagos will be exposed to the vagaries of climate change, and that means Lagos will have flash flooding.

“But as a state, we have to provide resilient infrastructure, and we have to tell our people to be responsible. If nature takes its course, what we can do is to mitigate its impact.”