Houses affected as flood takes Lagos communities

By: Ade Phillips

The Command and Ipaja communities in Lagos were hit by a flood early Tuesday morning, affecting around 151 houses, according to Ibrahim Farinloye, the Lagos territorial coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Farinloye reported that preliminary assessments showed evacuations from 23 houses in Oke Ishagun, with 35 houses affected in Isale Aboru, 29 in the Ikola community, and 15 in Olubodun Majiyagbe-Ajayi.

Also affected were 12 houses on Makinde Street, 16 houses on Olokowo Street, and 21 houses on Adeola Street, among others.

Farinloye said NEMA was working with appropriate state MDAs to ameliorate the effect of the flood on residents.

He added that Lagos State had promised to make the state safer for residents.

Farinloye said Tuesday’s excessive rainfall and downpour earlier on Sunday were strong signals of what to expect with the outset of 2024 rainfall.

He said it was important to imbibe disaster risk reduction strategies.

“We must begin to adhere to safety measures against flood disasters.

“Thanks be to God that no life was lost and no one was injured,” Mr Farinloye said.

Meanwhile, Farinloye said the director-general of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, appealed to Nigerians to start clearing their drainages and desilting them.

Ahmed urged community development associations (CDAs) to be alive to their responsibility by coordinating the activities of neighbourhoods towards safer environments.

He appealed to local government authorities to sanction corporate organisations for blocking drainages around their offices.

He added that residents dumping refuse in drainages should be prosecuted for blockage and dumping of refuse in drainages as envisaged in environmental laws to save society.

The director-general expressed his support to the Lagos State government for its bold decision after the 2023 rainy season when it pulled down structures obstructing drainages across the state.

He urged other state governments to emulate Lagos State by taking bold steps towards making the environment safer.