The Lagos State administration has advised residents in low-lying and flood-prone communities to evacuate immediately to avoid loss of lives and property.
This follows a new seven-day flood alert advisory (NFA-2026-2022) issued by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) covering Lagos and 14 other states. Diaspora and Africans
Channels TV reported that Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, disclosed sites earmarked as vulnerable to flooding.
These include Eti-Osa, Lagos Island Local Government Area, Oke-Ira Nla (Ajah), Kirikiri (Sea Port), Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B among others, the statement by the government today said.
The commissioner said the state government was taking the advise very seriously and was stepping up surveillance activities in the designated locations and also in other riverine, low-lying and flood prone regions.
People in vulnerable locations should not ignore the warning or wait until floodwaters rise before taking action, Wahab said. Early preparedness and temporary migration to safer areas could prevent preventable tragedies, he said.
He repeated his advice to inhabitants of flood-prone communities to migrate to higher ground and stay there until the height of the current rainy season is over.
We are advising Lagosians, especially those in flood-prone and low-lying regions not to take this warning lightly. If the indications show danger, the safest thing is to move early. “Not worth risking a life for any property, Wahab said.
Lagos usually enters a second phase of the rainy season from September, with more rains, higher water levels and tidal influences that can worsen flooding in vulnerable areas, he said.
The commissioner, therefore, urged residents living near rivers, lagoons, wetlands, drainage channels and other water bodies to be attentive and comply with all safety advice from appropriate government authorities.
“The amount of rain falling upstream and the level of water in linked river systems can greatly impact conditions downstream in Lagos,” Wahab urged communities near the Ogun River and other important water channels to be extra cautious.
He also asked residents of low-lying areas and riverfront communities such as Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, sections of Agboyi and other localities downstream of Isheri Olofin to be on red alert between 19 and 25 September.
The commissioner also urged residents across the state – especially in coastal and waterfront areas – to regularly watch official flood projections and be ready to move temporarily when flooding is imminent.
The NiHSA report, quoted in the statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, said rising river levels could lead to flooding across vulnerable communities and impact critical facilities such as schools, healthcare centers, markets, farms and places of worship.
Wahab, therefore, called on the affected local governments, disaster management agencies, community leaders and residents to activate early warning and response mechanisms and ensure that people, animals and valuables are transferred to safer locations when necessary.
He said the Lagos State government would keep monitoring river levels, rainfall patterns and other hydrological developments together with the relevant federal agencies.
Routine cleaning, repair and monitoring of drainage infrastructure across the state would also be sustained, he added.
The commissioner called on communities to support government efforts to reduce flooding by not throwing garbage indiscriminately into drains, canals and waterways, saying blocked drainage routes could aggravate flooding and prolong the recession of flood waters.
He also urged citizens from walking or driving on flooded roads, bridges and fast-moving water, advising individuals in vulnerable locations to make arrangements for temporary displacement if official warnings suggest an immediate threat.
“The protection of lives and property is the government’s foremost priority and we urge Lagosians to take flood forecasts as critical safety information that requires immediate action,” Wahab said.
The state government will continue to take all necessary measures to decrease flood risks and will give regular updates as the situation develops, he told the people.
He also called on Lagosians to be calm and alert and respond to official advice
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