Lagos Urges Immediate Evacuation in Lekki, Ikorodu Amid Flood Threat

 The Lagos State government issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents in low-lying areas of Lekki, Ikorodu, Badagry, and Eti-Osa, as heavy rainfall threatens severe flooding. 

The state’s Emergency Management Agency, citing forecasts of 200 millimeters of rain through August 10, warned that 70% of Lagos’s 21 million residents live in flood-prone zones. The directive targets communities along the Lekki-Epe Expressway and Ikorodu’s Ijede, where 2024 floods displaced 10,000 and caused ₦50 billion in damages.

Officials urged residents to relocate to 20 designated shelters, including Epe’s civic center, capable of housing 5,000 people. The warning follows a 30% rise in rainfall linked to climate change, with Lagos’s drainage systems, only 40% functional, overwhelmed by urban sprawl. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu deployed 500 emergency responders and ₦1 billion in relief funds to mitigate impacts. Last year’s floods destroyed 2,000 homes in Ikorodu alone, and 2025 projections suggest a 25% higher risk due to unchecked coastal erosion.

Residents in Lekki’s Victoria Island, where 60% of properties are below sea level, face immediate danger, with 15% already reporting flooded homes. The government’s Lagos Resilience Strategy, launched in 2023, aims to dredge 100 kilometers of canals by 2026, but only 30% is complete. Critics, including 40% of environmental groups, argue poor urban planning exacerbates risks, with 20% of Lagos’s budget misallocated to non-priority projects. Public compliance remains low, with 50% of residents hesitant to evacuate due to distrust from past mismanaged relief efforts.

Sanwo-Olu assured residents of support, emphasizing collaboration with federal agencies. The state’s 2025 budget allocates ₦200 billion for flood control, but experts warn that without regional cooperation, Lagos, contributing 35% to Nigeria’s GDP, risks $2 billion in economic losses. The evacuation call underscores the urgent need for resilient infrastructure as climate threats intensify.