Lagos State Government has directed an immediate suspension of all ongoing land reclamation projects across the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that the directive was issued in a statement on Thursday by Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources.
The commissioner noted that the move followed growing concerns over the rising number of reclamation activities on wetlands, floodplains, and lagoons in areas such as Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne, Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Oworonshoki, Ikorodu, Ojo, Badagry, and parts of Lagos Mainland.
According to Wahab, many of these projects are being carried out without mandatory environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval or drainage clearance. He warned that while reclamation may create more space for housing and infrastructure, it also comes with grave consequences.
The statement reads, “Reclamation poses significant environmental and social risks, including increased flooding, coastal erosion, disruption of livelihoods (especially fishing), loss of wetlands and biodiversity, constriction of the lagoons, and impairment of water quality.”
The commissioner stressed that all previously approved projects must be resubmitted for documentation and monitoring, while new and ongoing reclamation efforts must undergo proper EIA procedures.
Wahab cautioned that developers who fail to comply with the suspension order within seven days risk arrest and prosecution. He also noted that the government will begin decommissioning illegal reclamation sites by excavating sand-filled areas and reopening blocked water channels.
He added, “With the low-lying topography of the state and its fragile ecosystem, the government cannot afford to allow indiscriminate reclamation of lagoons, wetlands, and floodplains to continue unchecked.”
