Torrential rainfall that lasted for over 12 hours submerged several parts of Lagos State, crippling commercial activities, disrupting vehicular movement and leaving many residents, motorists and commuters stranded across the metropolis.
The downpour, which began on Sunday and intensified on Monday, overwhelmed drainage channels in several low-lying communities, forcing residents to bail water from their homes while many parents kept their children away from school over safety concerns.
Some of the heavily flooded areas included the Lagos-Oshodi Expressway, Abeokuta Expressway around Oshodi Bus Stop, Lekki-Epe Expressway and environs, Victoria Island, Agege, Ikeja, Oworonsoki, Gbagada, Funsho Williams Avenue, Iwaya in Yaba, Lagos Mainland, Ago Palace Way, Ikorodu Road, Oyingbo, Isashi, Iba, Ojo and Okokomaiko.
Viral videos showed residents and motorists trapped in floodwater, with some sending distress messages to the state government for urgent intervention. Others criticised the government over what they described as the recurring problem of flooding in the state.
As of about 11 a.m., floodwater had taken over the bridge linking Ojota to Maryland along Ikorodu Road, leaving vehicles stranded. In Lekki, Oshodi and surrounding areas, buildings were submerged while vehicles were seen floating in stormwater.
Many business offices and stalls remained closed, while bus stops were almost empty as commuters took shelter under available sheds. Although the rain later subsided around 2 p.m., it left behind heavy traffic gridlocks and trapped many residents indoors.
In Yaba, Ikeja, Oyingbo and parts of Ikorodu Road, floodwater covered major routes, forcing pedestrians to wade through knee-deep water to reach their destinations. Motorists along the Ikorodu Road corridor were stuck for hours as portions of the highway became almost impassable.
A resident of Yaba, identified as Mr. Wasiu, lamented the hardship caused by the flooding, saying many roads had become difficult to access.
“Many roads have been flooded, making it extremely difficult for people to get to work. Some parents were also afraid to allow their children go to school because many drainage channels are blocked and overflowing,” he said.
He added that some commercial transport operators who managed to operate increased fares, worsening the burden on commuters.
A primary school teacher, Mr. Ade Bambo, said the flooding also affected learning, as many pupils could not attend school.
“I had to make my way to school, but most of my pupils could not come because of the flood. Whenever there is heavy rainfall, attendance drops significantly because parents fear for the safety of their children,” he said.
He urged the Lagos State Government to intensify efforts to clear blocked drainage systems and accelerate flood control projects as the rainy season intensifies.
Ago Palace Way in Okota and sections of Gbagada were among the worst-hit areas, with rising water levels rendering roads impassable.
A resident of Ago Palace Way, who identified himself as Kunle, said the flood began shortly after the early morning downpour and worsened as drainage channels overflowed.
“It started as a normal rainfall, but within an hour, the entire road was covered. Many cars were stuck while pedestrians had no option but to wade through waist-deep water,” he said.
In Gbagada, commercial activities slowed down as businesses delayed opening and residents struggled to navigate flooded streets. Several tricycle and bus operators suspended operations over safety concerns, while motorists were advised to avoid flood-prone corridors as traffic built up on routes leading to Anthony, Maryland and Ojota.
In Isashi, Iba LCDA, Ojo and Okokomaiko, several homes were submerged following days of torrential rainfall. Some residents reportedly abandoned their homes and moved in with relatives and friends.
One affected resident, Mr. Joel Ubah of James Kunle Street, Isashi, appealed to the government for urgent intervention.
“Look at my house. I completed the house in April 2025 and moved in May 2025. I can’t stay there now. All the rooms are flooded. The canal at the back of the house is not flowing. The major bridge and waterway at Obadore are being sand-filled.
“I am begging the Lagos State Government to come to our rescue. If the rains and flood continue, many buildings may collapse,” he said.
James Kunle Street in Light Estate and Oluwaseyi Street in Isashi were reportedly cut off by floodwater, leaving residents with only one access road, which was later blocked by a fallen electric pole.
Reacting to the situation, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, assured residents that the government was responding to the flooding and had activated remedial measures in affected areas.
Wahab said the reality of climate change, intense rainfall and other environmental factors meant residents would continue to experience flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas, but added that the government was expanding resilient infrastructure across the state.
He blamed part of the flooding on illegal encroachment on drainage channels, floodplains, wetlands and natural water paths by residents and estate developers.
On the flooding around Ikorodu, Wahab explained that a contractor working on a drainage project had temporarily dammed the downstream to allow construction work to continue, but the scale of the rainfall overwhelmed the arrangement.
“What happened in Ikorodu was that the contractor had been on site and dammed the downstream to allow the construction to go on. He didn’t know it was going to be such a magnitude of heavy rains. When it started raining, the government appealed to him to free the downstream sector so that the stormwater would recede and people could have their normal lives back,” he said.
He said several drainage contracts had been awarded and contractors mobilised to sites, adding that the government would not allow substandard work in the rush to address flooding.
“We have been doing massive advocacy, and we keep doing the advocacy. I would like to reiterate that the present administration has been ramping up the provision of drainage infrastructure statewide.
“And that’s why we can say to anybody that, yes, we won’t lie to residents. We are going to experience flash flooding,” he said.
On the flooding in Iwaya, Wahab said the area is low-lying and located near a discharge point to the lagoon, making it prone to flash flooding.
During an inspection of drainage channels and flood-prone locations in Agungi-Ajiran, Gravitas and Ikota, the commissioner warned that the government would no longer tolerate encroachment on drainage corridors, floodplains and natural water channels.
“We are not going to tolerate any form of encroachment on the alignments, floodplains and our discharging point for stormwater. Whosoever you are, we don’t care whose ox is gored, and we shall remove those contraventions immediately,” he said.
Wahab also ordered the demolition of several buildings constructed on drainage channels at Mehabond Estate in Lekki to ensure free flow of stormwater.
He cited the Agungi area, where he alleged that a family, through estate agents, encroached on drainage channels for estate development, describing the action as unacceptable.
At Gravitas Road, Wahab said officials observed alleged illegal reclamation of wetlands around Graceland Estate. He warned that wetlands serve as natural water retention systems during heavy rainfall and that unauthorised reclamation worsens flooding.
“The wetland is nature’s sponge, holding water. Now they are destroying the wetland, destroying the ecosystem, and trying to reclaim the lagoon without approvals.
“We said to the estate, whoever it is, stop the work and let us see your paperwork. We are certain they don’t have any,” he stated.
On the Ikota River, the commissioner alleged that a private developer was reclaiming part of the river without the required approvals, thereby narrowing a major water discharge route into the lagoon.
“We noticed somebody under the name of Megamond is trying to push back the Ikota River and narrow it into a stream. The Ikota River discharges all the outlets on this corridor into the lagoon.
“All those structures done on that portion without approval, we shall remove them immediately and restore our setback,” he said.
Wahab also cautioned traditional landowning families against allowing developments that violate environmental regulations, stressing that land ownership does not exempt anyone from compliance with planning and environmental laws.
He added that environmental impact assessments remain mandatory for reclamation projects, accusing some developers of commencing work without approvals in the hope of regularising the projects later.
The Lagos State Government also said it would move against the ongoing reclamation project on the Kuramo Beach axis along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, warning that blocking Kuramo Waters would worsen environmental risks.
“The Kuramo Waters is the water body that breathes within the Atlantic and this structure here, and they are trying to block it. It’s not going to happen. We’ve seen the signposts. We have reached out to those involved in the Federal Government.
“We have to preserve Kuramo Waters. It’s deliberate. It’s been here for decades. If they want to start reclamation, it’s going to be a gross problem and they can’t do it. We won’t allow it to happen,” Wahab said.
Following the widespread flooding, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the immediate dredging and maintenance of 28 additional primary drainage channels across the state.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources through its spokesperson, Kunle Adeshina, the government appealed for calm and understanding from residents, describing the recent rainfall as an extreme weather event.
The statement said the heavy rainfall produced an unusually high volume of water within a short period, overwhelming drainage channels in several locations and causing temporary flooding in parts of Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikeja, Gbagada, Mushin, Mafoluku and other areas.
“The Lagos State Government remains fully on top of the situation through continuous monitoring of drainage infrastructure, flood-prone locations and other critical water channels,” the statement said.
The government explained that Lagos faces a complex hydrological challenge because of its lagoons, rivers, creeks and tidal water bodies, adding that the interaction between the Atlantic Ocean, Lagos Lagoon and other water bodies, especially during high tide, slows the discharge of stormwater into the sea.
An urban planner and environmentalist, Michael Simire, said the causes of flooding in Lagos include high rainfall intensity, poor drainage, blocked channels, low-lying coastal terrain, weak enforcement of setbacks and buildings encroaching on waterways.
At the time of filing this report, no casualties had been officially reported, but thousands of residents and commuters were affected by the flooding, while pressure mounted on the state government to enforce drainage regulations, clear blocked channels and protect wetlands and natural water paths.
The post 12-Hour Downpour Submerges Lagos Roads, Homes, Businesses As Sanwo-Olu Orders Dredging Of 28 Drainage Channels appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
