State cites environmental threats, illegal dredging ahead of maiden Waterfront Summit
Hundreds of Lagos residents have been rendered homeless following large-scale demolitions carried out by a combined enforcement team of the Lagos State Government in the early hours of Saturday. The exercise, which affected properties along the coastal lines of Iyana Oworosonki and Lekki, was targeted at unapproved buildings and shanties, the government says, that pose grave risks to the environment and the safety of the state’s lagoon.
The operation, led by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and backed by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the police command, commenced around 2 a.m., taking many residents by surprise. Bulldozers rolled into Ojulari Community in Oworonshoki, pulling down houses said to have been built without government approval. Occupants, numbering in the hundreds, were left stranded in the middle of the night.
Witnesses recounted scenes of panic as security operatives fired tear gas canisters to disperse angry crowds who resisted the demolition. After hours of tension, authorities allowed a brief window around 1 a.m. for families to salvage what they could before machines continued pulling down structures.
Despite earlier quit notices reportedly issued to occupants, appeals from displaced residents and sympathisers forced officials to temporarily suspend the operation, granting a two-week window for affected families to remove their remaining belongings. Similar demolitions were also carried out in parts of Lekki, where makeshift shanties housing suspected miscreants were demolished in a bid to curb criminal activities and restore orderliness to the waterfront areas.
The enforcement comes just days after the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development raised fresh alarm over massive dredging activities in the state. According to the ministry, no less than 10,625 cubic metres of sand are illegally dredged daily in Lagos, a practice experts warn could destabilise the ecosystem, damage aquatic habitats, and accelerate the collapse of waterfront settlements.
Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, stressed that the crisis of coastal erosion and illegal dredging is fast becoming a ticking time bomb for Lagos. He disclosed that entire communities such as Idotun Village in Ibeju-Lekki have already been washed away by advancing erosion, leaving families displaced and livelihoods destroyed. Alebiosu further drew parallels with Ghana’s Keta Municipality, another West African coastline battling similar devastation.
“Coastal erosion is a regional problem with global implications. Lagos must take urgent steps to safeguard its communities, infrastructure, and economy,” he warned.
The commissioner revealed that Lagos is now partnering with the Netherlands, a country globally recognised for its expertise in coastal and water management, to find lasting solutions. He also announced that the state has commissioned a comprehensive bathymetric and hydrographic survey to identify areas most affected by unregulated dredging, with Ibeshe already flagged as heavily impacted.
Beyond the dangers, Alebiosu underscored the enormous economic and social opportunities the lagoon holds for Lagos if properly managed. According to him, the water body could become a thriving hub for transportation, tourism, fisheries, and trade, creating jobs and boosting livelihoods for millions of residents.
These concerns and possibilities will take centre stage at the maiden Lagos State Waterfront Summit, scheduled to hold from Thursday, September 11, 2025, in Victoria Island. Themed “Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience,” the three-day event is expected to draw over 500 experts, stakeholders, and professionals across multiple fields to chart solutions for salvaging and sustainably managing the state’s waterfronts.
“The lagoon is not just a body of water; it is our heritage, our economy, and our future,” Alebiosu said at a press briefing in Ikeja. “This summit is a call to action for Lagosians, experts, and stakeholders to work together in protecting it before it is too late.”
The commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to preserving the state’s waterfronts, adding that the upcoming summit would mark a turning point in Lagos’ approach to water resources and coastal management.
For now, however, many displaced residents of Oworonshoki and Lekki are left to count their losses and scramble for alternative shelter, as bulldozers and enforcement squads loom large over the fragile lives built along Lagos’ waterfronts.
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