Following last Wednesday’s floods in Lagos State, occasioned by heavy rainfall, the state government has given a 48-hour vacation notice to squatters and owners of illegal structures along Gbagada-Bariga drainage channel.

The state’s Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who disclosed this on Sunday, said the activities of squatters and property owners in the area had blocked drainage channels, thereby resulting in the flooding experienced during the week.

“Lagos State government gives property owners who built illegal structures and squatters along Gbagada Bariga Channel a 48-hour vacation notice.

“The drainage channel which defloods Bariga, Gbagada, Sholuyi downstream communities and environs, and discharges into System 1 has been taken over by squatters who has constituted nuisance and security risks to the Estate, and property owners who deliberately built to obstruct free flow of water in the area. Shanties were erected along the length of the channel and their activities had blocked collectors that are supposed to carry stormwater into the Channel which resulted to the flooding experienced during the week,” Wahab said in a post on X.

He noted that upon expiration of the notices served, the operatives of Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources would commence removal of contravening structures in order to unflood the area.

Last Wednesday downpour lasted for about 10 hours, and affected areas such as Eredo, Bojije, Epe, Sangotedo, Ibeju-Lekki, Awoyaya, Labora, and Abijon.

Other areas affected include Iyana-Oworo, Agege, Ijegun-Isheri Osun and Gbagada.

The flood grounded vehicular movement, and led to the collapse of a two-storey building in the Mushin area of the state.

Also, a 61-year old man, while wading through the floods around Orile-Iganmu, held on to a street light pole and got electrocuted.