The Lagos State Government has ordered residents living in low-lying and flood-prone communities to relocate temporarily to higher ground following a fresh seven-day flood alert issued by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA).
The government said the directive was aimed at preventing avoidable loss of lives and property as rising river levels and increased rainfall raise the risk of flooding across vulnerable parts of the state.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the warning in a statement issued on Monday by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina.
According to Wahab, the NiHSA alert covers Lagos and 14 other states, with several communities in Lagos identified as vulnerable to flooding.
He listed areas including Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B among locations requiring heightened vigilance.
Wahab said the state government was treating the advisory with utmost seriousness and had intensified monitoring of the identified communities, as well as other riverine and low-lying areas.
He urged residents not to wait until floodwaters rise before taking precautionary measures.
“We are urging Lagosians, particularly those living in flood-prone and low-lying areas, not to take this warning lightly. When the signs point to danger, the safest decision is to move early. No property is worth risking a life,” he said.
The commissioner advised residents in vulnerable communities to move to higher ground and remain there until the peak of the resurgent rainy season passes.
He specifically urged communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways to exercise greater caution, noting that increased rainfall and rising water levels in connected river systems could affect downstream communities.
Wahab identified Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, parts of Agboyi and other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin as areas that should remain on high alert between September 19 and 25.
He also advised residents living close to rivers, lagoons, wetlands, drainage channels and other water bodies to monitor official flood forecasts and be prepared to relocate whenever flooding becomes imminent.
According to him, the NiHSA advisory warned that rising river levels could cause flooding in vulnerable communities and affect critical facilities, including schools, healthcare centres, markets, farms and places of worship.
Wahab called on local governments, emergency management agencies, community leaders and residents to activate their early-warning and emergency response mechanisms.
He urged residents and relevant authorities to move people, livestock and valuable property to safer locations where necessary.
The commissioner said the state government would continue monitoring river levels, rainfall patterns and other hydrological developments in collaboration with relevant federal agencies.
He added that routine cleaning, maintenance and monitoring of drainage infrastructure across Lagos would also continue.
Wahab appealed to residents to support the government’s flood mitigation efforts by avoiding the dumping of refuse in drains, canals and waterways, warning that blocked drainage channels could worsen flooding and delay the recession of floodwaters.
He further cautioned motorists and pedestrians against attempting to cross flooded roads, bridges and fast-moving water, urging residents in vulnerable communities to make arrangements for temporary relocation when official warnings indicate an imminent threat.
The commissioner stressed that protecting lives and property remained the government’s foremost priority, assuring Lagos residents that authorities would continue to deploy measures to reduce flood risks and provide timely updates as the situation develops.
The latest warning follows a National Flood Advisory indicating that more than 8,000 communities and 4,500 schools across 15 states could be at risk of flooding between September 19 and 25.
The states identified as vulnerable include Lagos, Imo, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Kogi, Abia, Taraba and Rivers.
