FIC REPORT (LAGOS STATE) – The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate evacuation of residents in low-lying and flood-prone communities across the state, acting on a fresh seven-day flood alert from the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) that places Lagos among fifteen states now under warning.
The advisory, tagged NFA-2026-2022 and issued over the weekend, prompted a statement from the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, released Sunday evening, naming Eti-Osa, Lagos Island Local Government Area, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri Sea Port, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B among the locations identified as most exposed.
Wahab said the state was treating the warning with the utmost seriousness and had stepped up monitoring not just in those named areas but across other riverine and low-lying communities as well.
His message to residents was direct: do not wait for the water to rise before acting. He urged those in vulnerable areas to move to higher ground and stay there until the peak of the resurgent rainy season passes, framing early relocation as the only responsible choice. “We are urging Lagosians, particularly those living in flood-prone and low-lying areas, not to take this warning lightly. When the signs point to danger, the safest decision is to move early. No property is worth risking a life,” Wahab said.
The warning comes as Lagos enters what the Commissioner described as the second phase of its rainy season, typically beginning in September and marked by heavier rainfall, rising water levels and tidal effects that tend to worsen flooding in exposed locations.
Wahab advised anyone living near rivers, lagoons, wetlands, drainage channels or other water bodies to stay alert and follow every safety advisory issued by government agencies, singling out communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways for particular caution — pointing out that heavy rainfall upstream can quickly translate into worsening conditions downstream in Lagos. He named Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, parts of Agboyi and other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin as areas that should remain on high alert through the period of September 19 to 25.
Beyond the immediate window, the Commissioner urged residents across the state’s coastal and waterfront communities to keep a close eye on official flood forecasts and be ready to relocate temporarily the moment flooding looks imminent. According to the NiHSA report underpinning the advisory, rising river levels threaten not just homes but critical infrastructure — schools, healthcare centres, markets, farms and places of worship among them.
Wahab called on local governments, emergency management agencies, community leaders and residents alike to activate early warning and response systems, and to ensure that people, livestock and valuables are moved out of harm’s way where necessary. He said the state government would keep monitoring river levels, rainfall patterns and other hydrological indicators in collaboration with federal agencies, alongside continued cleaning and maintenance of drainage infrastructure statewide.
He appealed to Lagosians to do their part by not dumping refuse into drains, canals and waterways, warning that blocked channels only worsen flooding and slow the recession of floodwaters once they arrive. He also cautioned residents against walking or driving through flooded roads, bridges or fast-moving water, and repeated the call for those in vulnerable areas to arrange temporary relocation as soon as official warnings signal an imminent threat.
Protecting lives and property, Wahab stressed, remains the government’s foremost priority, and he urged residents to treat flood forecasts as critical safety information demanding immediate action rather than routine notices to be filed away. He assured Lagosians that the state would continue deploying every available measure to reduce flood risk and to keep the public updated as the situation develops, closing with a call for residents to stay calm, vigilant and responsive to official advisories.
Sourced by:
Ajibade Oluwatoyin A
ACI&PRO
22/09/2026
