The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina.
The flood over the weekend affected Lagos and 14 other states, with areas with worse conditions in Lagos including Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B.
Wahab said the government was taking the NiHSA flood advisory seriously and had stepped up monitoring in the identified areas, as well as other riverine, low-lying and flood-prone communities.
He urged residents to take precautionary measures before floodwaters rise, noting that early preparation and temporary relocation could help prevent the loss of lives and property.
“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 stated.
The commissioner urged residents in flood-prone communities to relocate to safer, higher ground and remain there until the peak of the resurgent rainy season subsides.
He urged residents along the Ogun River and other major waterways to stay alert, as heavy rainfall and rising water levels in connected rivers could lead to flooding in downstream communities in Lagos.
Wahab listed Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, parts of Agboyi, and other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin among communities that should remain on high alert between September 19 and 25.
He also advised residents living near rivers, lagoons, wetlands, drainage channels, and other water bodies to monitor official flood forecasts and be prepared to relocate temporarily when flooding becomes imminent.
According to the commissioner, the NiHSA report warned that rising river levels could cause flooding in vulnerable communities and affect critical facilities, including schools, healthcare centres, markets, farms, and places of worship.
Wahab called on affected local governments, emergency management agencies, community leaders, and residents to activate early-warning and response mechanisms.
He urged them to move people, livestock, and valuable possessions to safer locations where necessary.
The commissioner said the state government would continue to monitor river levels, rainfall patterns, and other hydrological developments in collaboration with relevant federal agencies.
He added that routine cleaning, maintenance, and monitoring of drainage infrastructure across the state would also be sustained.
Wahab urged residents to support the government’s flood control efforts by avoiding the dumping of refuse in drains, canals and waterways, warning that blocked drainage channels could worsen flooding and slow the receding of floodwaters.
He also warned residents against walking or driving through flooded roads, bridges and fast-flowing water, urging those in vulnerable communities to prepare for temporary relocation whenever authorities issue warnings of an impending flood threat.
The commissioner stressed that the protection of lives and property remained the government’s foremost priority and urged residents to treat flood forecasts as critical safety information requiring immediate action.
He assured Lagos residents that the government would continue to deploy measures to reduce flood risks and provide timely updates as the situation evolved.
On Monday, the latest National Flood Advisory issued by the NHSA warned that more than 8,000 communities and 4,500 schools across 15 states were at risk of flooding between September 19 and 25.
The agency had warned that rising river levels could trigger flooding in vulnerable communities, exposing schools, healthcare facilities, markets, religious buildings and farmlands to possible inundation.
The advisory identified 15 states — Imo, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Kogi, Abia, Taraba, Rivers and Lagos — as areas most likely to experience flooding during the period.
