Lagos community seeks Sanwo-Olu’s intervention to halt construction

The Magodo GRA Phase 2 community in Lagos has appealed to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, to intervene without delay in halting ongoing construction on a landlocked gorge which, according to the residents of the estate, was originally designated as a flood-control zone in the community’s master plan.

The residents, under the aegis of Magodo GRA Phase 2 Community Development Association, made the appeal in a statement obtained by BusinessDay in which they highlighted the dangers posed by the construction, warning that it could trigger devastating environmental consequences, including erosion, flooding, and potential structural damage to existing homes.

Over the years, residents of this community have raised the alarm for attempts by highly connected individuals to build on the gorge, but their complaints have yet to get the attention and action of the state government authorities.

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In each occasion, the residents stressed that their estate was designed as a low to medium-density residential area, benefiting from its proximity to a vast wetland that naturally channels stormwater and prevents flooding across several parts of Lagos, including Ikeja, Ogba, and Alausa.

“This wetland, which stretches from under Otedola Bridge to Agiliti, Mile 12, and on to Ikorodu, has shielded Magodo from soil erosion, flooding, and related health disasters for decades,” Niyi Odunsi, the community chairman, explained.

He recalled that, within the last year, developers who, he alleged, had the backing of top officials of the Lagos State Physical Planning Ministry, made efforts to build on the gorge, despite previous failed attempts and clear evidence that the land is unfit for construction.

“Our concern is that developers, aided by top officials of Lagos State Physical Planning, have decided to build in the gorge; they are bent on distorting the natural setting and peace of our environment at the expense of existing properties and ecological stability,” the community chairman said.

Odunsi alleged further that one developer was using armed security agents to forcefully demolish an uncompleted structure in the area as an excuse to start a new construction, thereby intimidating residents and disregarding environmental risk.

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He disclosed that the demolition process has already constituted serious health hazards and caused damage to nearby properties, adding, “We tarred the road leading to the site and planted vegetation to stabilise the cliff—both of which are now under threat due to ongoing excavation.

To worsen these concerns, the perpetrators have started excavating the cliff, thereby threatening the environment, especially now that the rains are here.”

Continuing, Odunsi noted that, while the community understands that the government can amend original plans, this should not be done without relevant impact assessments and public consultation, adding, “what we have now is a self-centred decision made for the pecuniary gains of a few, at the detriment of the majority.”