The Lagos State Government has given a 48-hour vacation notice to squatters and owners of illegal structures along Gbagada-Bariga drainage channel.

The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a post on X.com on Sunday.

Wahab added that the channel has been blocked by squatters who live there and property owners who built structures that obstruct the flow of water, which also contributed to the flooding in the area.

His post read in part, “The drainage channel which defloods Bariga, Gbagada, Sholuyi downstream communities and environs, and discharges into System 1 has been taken over by squatters who have constituted nuisance and security risks to the estate, and property owners who deliberately built to obstruct free flow of water in the area.

“Shanties were erected along the length of the channel, and their activities blocked collectors that are supposed to carry stormwater into the channel, which resulted in the flooding experienced during the week.”

He added that upon expiration of the notices served, operatives of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources will commence the removal of the contravening structures in order to deflood the area.

PUNCH reports that business and commercial activities were grounded on Wednesday following a 10-hour downpour in many parts of Lagos and Ogun states.

The resulting flooding brought down a two-storey building in the Mushin area of Lagos, grounded vehicular movement on the roads, and overwhelmed thousands of residents while pupils could not attend schools in parts of the states. (Sunday PUNCH)