By Ijeoma Agbafo
Residents of several communities in Lagos have recounted heavy losses following torrential rainfall that flooded homes and businesses, displaced families and disrupted movement across parts of the state.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, said the flooding destroyed property, interrupted livelihoods and underscored the need for improved drainage infrastructure and urgent government intervention.
A poultry farmer in Lekki Scheme II, Mr Alex, said floodwaters submerged his compound for three days, killing chicks and causing heavy financial losses. In Ajiran, Mr Johnson said his family was forced to flee their apartment after floodwater entered their home, damaging household items and disrupting work and school activities.
At Ikotun Market, foodstuff trader Mrs Ifeanyi Kugbala said floodwater destroyed bags of rice, beans and other food items worth hundreds of thousands of naira. An Ebute Metta resident, Ms Kehinde, described heavy rainfall as a constant source of anxiety, saying overflowing canals had become a recurring threat to lives and property.
The residents blamed the recurring flooding on blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate waste disposal and rapid urban development without adequate drainage infrastructure, urging the Lagos State Government to intensify drainage clearance and enforce environmental regulations.
They also appealed to the government to provide emergency relief materials, including food, potable water, and medical assistance, while implementing lasting measures to protect flood-prone communities from future disasters.
