The Lagos State government over the weekend issued an immediate seal and stop work order for illegal reclamation activities to narrow and reduce the size of the Ikota River around Partibons Homes Estate/Bee – Forth Estate Phase 2, off Orchid Road in Lekki area of the state.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, gave this directive while speaking with the media after an inspection tour of the area, saying the illegal activities going on in the area was heart wrenching because some individuals had deliberately chosen to destroy the ecosystem provided by nature.
Wahab said the ministry recently received an SOS message that some people were aggressively reclaiming some parts of Ikota River and erecting illegal structures with the aim of selling the illegal properties to unsuspecting and innocent citizens.
He stressed that there is no way flash flooding can be stopped in a coastal state especially one like Lagos that is bordered by the Atlantic, Lagoons and rivers, adding that flooding could only be mitigated by putting resilient infrastructure in place alongside various sustainable approaches.
“This present administration has introduced different approaches in mitigating flooding, some of which includes the provision of resilient infrastructure, continuous maintenance of all drainage channels all year round by the Ministry’s EFAG team and construction of secondary collectors/primary channels Statewide,” he said.
He added that some unscrupulous individuals who believed they were above the law were pushing back nature and blocking system 156/ 157 forgetting that the channels were on a coastal alignment which must discharge into the Ikota River to further discharge into the Lagoon.
He said discharging of storm water had been designed by nature itself, but human activities had distorted it, saying that government would not fold its hands and allow the implication affect the majority.
The commissioner also visited the ongoing restoration of Right of Way along the Ikota River alignment in Oral Estate II, noting that a total of 17 units have been removed so far.
He recalled that government earlier engaged the property owners to find a win-win solution saying that it was necessary to remove the contraventions on the right of way along the Ikota River because the Ikota River is the only channel that supports the Atlantic in the axis.
The Environment Commissioner who was alongside his counterpart in the Ministry of Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, also inspected environmental infraction along the Lekki/Epe Expressway in preparation for the forthcoming Green rail line along the Corridor.
He explained that on the 26th of September 2025, abatement notices were served in sync with the Ministry to automobile dealers on the Lekki/Epe Expressway who had totally encroached further on wetlands and under the High Tension wires than the temporary approved site allocated to them adding that this negates the original master plan for the Green Line by the Ministry of Transportation.
He said the temporary approvals issued to the automobile dealers stated that they were not to erect permanent structures because the site was under the power line stressing that some of the dealers had pushed beyond the approved site while encroaching into the wetlands.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to preserve the wetlands across the state as wetlands were part of ways to proffer lasting solution to flooding.
“Wetlands are meant to help you hold the water till rains subsides and after the recent heavy rainfalls, the ministry in the course of flying drones, realized that virtually the whole wetlands where coconut were planted along Lekki – Epe Expressway corridor have been seriously bastardized,” he said.
He said ministry was there to check the infraction levels and how the two ministries can work together to salvage the Wetlands and restore the master plan to accommodate the green line ordering that enforcement of the law against the infractions begin immediately.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Seun Oshiyemi, while speaking, said the government had done a lot of stakeholders engagements as well as a lot of feasibility studies along the Lekki-Epe Expressway Corridor because the Green Line project will commence in December.
According to him, “There is a Right of Way and the right had been outlined over 20 years ago; we don’t have issues on, right of way. What we are speaking to is the encroachment on wetlands and extention of activities under the power line”.
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He explained that the Green Line project would last for about two to three years and it would begin from Marina all the way to Epe, saying the projects would come in phases.
He added that the first phase was from Lekki First Tollgate to Epe and the second Phase from Marina would be on the water.
The team also visited the ongoing construction of Agodogba collector drain at Parkview Estate saying when the project is completed it would deflood the area and its environs.
He said the secondary Collector Drain being constructed on Agodogba Avenue alongside the pumping station installed will reduce flooding issues in the area to the barest minimum.
The team also included the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi – Akodu: Permanent Secretaries, Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji and that of Drainage Services, Engr Mahamood Adegbite;
Others are MD LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; GM LASPARK, Mrs Adetoun Popoola; GM LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi; GM LASWMO, Engr Adefemi Afolabi and other directors from the Ministry and its agencies.
The places visited by the team were Wetlands along Lekki-Epe Expressway Corridor, System 156, Partibons Homes Estate (Bee-Forth Estate Phase 2 (Ikota River section), Oral Estate 2 and Agodogba Avenue inside the Parkview Estate.
