The Magodo Phase II Residents Association has called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to stop an alleged attempt by developers to construct access roads through the estate to a protected wetland.
The association raised the alarm over the presence of articulated trucks and heavy-duty equipment outside the Shangisha Gate, expressing fears that they could be used to force entry into the estate.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its chairman, Niyi Odusi, the association urged the governor to order the immediate removal of the vehicles and secure the estate’s boundaries.
“The estate is currently under threat. A large number of articulated trucks and heavy-duty equipment are currently stationed outside the Shangisha Gate, ready to make a forceful entry,” the statement said.
The residents warned that the proposed development could compromise the Magodo wetland, disrupt natural drainage systems and increase the risk of flooding in surrounding communities.
They also urged the state government to honour assurances allegedly given to the association on November 26, 2023, by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, that access routes would not be created through the estate to the undeveloped land.
The association said the alleged project would conflict with the state’s environmental policies on wetland protection, citing warnings attributed to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, about the potential consequences of building on the wetland.
According to the residents, Wahab had warned that flooding resulting from construction on the wetland could make the Isheri-Oshun flooding disaster look like “child’s play”.
They also cited the position of a former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Francisco Abosede, who they said had described the soil as unsuitable for residential construction.
The association explained that, under the Lagos State Master Plan, the wetland served as a natural stormwater collection area for Agidingbi, Ikeja, Ogba and Alausa.
It warned that interfering with the wetland could obstruct drainage and expose Magodo and other parts of the state to severe flooding.
“If this wetland is compromised, the stormwater from Ikeja, Alausa, and surrounding areas will have nowhere to go, resulting in catastrophic flooding that will submerge Magodo and threaten the state’s seat of power,” the statement added.
The residents vowed to resist any development they believed threatened their lives, properties and environment, urging the state government to enforce its laws and act swiftly to secure the Shangisha Gate axis.
The statement did not identify the developers allegedly involved in the proposed project or provide details of any construction approval issued for it.
credit punch
