Lagos flooding blamed on coastal projects

14 Jul, 2017

The recent floods that devasted coastal areas of Lagos State are the result of "environmentally-unfriendly" state schemes, according to the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN).

The group says that the floods, which submerged houses and vehicles in Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ajah and Oniru, were worsened by state-authorised coastal developments including land reclamation and sand-dredging.

However the Lagos State environment commissioner Babatunde Adejare says the floods were caused largely by rubbish dumped in drainage channels.

Flood levels were higher than previous years, according to ERA/FoEN, which also warned of "dangerous reptiles" being washed into residential areas.