The Lagos State Government has demolished at least 17 buildings for encroaching on the right-of-way, RoW, of the Ikota River alignment in Lekki.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, led a monitoring and enforcement team, accompanied by journalists, to the demolition site on Saturday.

This is coming barely two weeks after the state government demolished at least 19 buildings in the Trade Fair Complex.

Wahab explained that the ministry had earlier received several complaints about illegal land reclamation activities in the area aimed at narrowing the river’s natural flow channel.

“We intervened and stopped them at the time, but we were recently alerted that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell portions of the reclaimed land to unsuspecting buyers,” Wahab said.

He vowed that the perpetrators behind the illegal reclamation and sales would be identified and prosecuted according to the law.

The commissioner noted that while flooding could not be completely eradicated in a coastal city like Lagos, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, lagoons, and rivers, the state government remained committed to minimizing its impact through sustainable infrastructure.

“What we can do is mitigate flooding through resilient infrastructure, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration has continued to provide and maintain,” he added.

Wahab lamented that despite the government’s continuous drainage maintenance efforts, some people persisted in blocking waterways for selfish economic purposes.

He specifically cited Property No. 156, saying it obstructed the coastal road alignment and blocked the free flow of water into the Ikota channel, which connects to the Lagos Lagoon. The property, he said, would be cleared to restore the natural drainage path.

During an inspection of the Lekki–Epe corridor, Wahab also condemned the widespread encroachment on designated wetlands meant to absorb excess stormwater during heavy rainfall.

He disclosed that drone surveillance conducted by the ministry revealed extensive destruction of the wetland corridor, where coconut trees planted for erosion control had been removed.

According to Wahab, notices were served on violators on September 26, ahead of the commencement of new transport infrastructure works in the area.

The exercise, he added, was part of the government’s effort to harmonize environmental protection with ongoing development projects, particularly the Green Line Rail project.

Speaking on the same visit, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, confirmed that the Green Line project, linking Marina to Epe, would commence in December after final stakeholder consultations and feasibility studies.

Osiyemi explained that while the government had granted temporary permits to some car dealers to operate along powerline spaces, several of them had violated the approval conditions by erecting permanent structures on wetlands.

“As a responsible government, we must enforce compliance and protect the environment while promoting transport development,” Osiyemi said.

He added that the Green Line would be completed within three years and operate as part of an integrated, multi-modal transport system for Lagos.

Other areas visited by the monitoring team included Chevron Gate off Orchid Road, Partibon Homes, Oral Extension Phase 2, and Park View, Ikoyi.