Agony of Lagos community

…Where every rain brings fears, losses as residents seek Sanwo-Olu’s urgent intervention

For most Lagos residents, the arrival of rain offers relief from the sweltering heat. But for the residents of Abubakar Close, Megida, off Alaja Road in Ayobo, Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA), every dark cloud signals the beginning of another nightmare.

In this community, the sound of heavy rainfall no longer brings comfort. Instead, it triggers panic, anxiety and a desperate race against time as families abandon their workplaces and daily activities to rescue their homes before floodwaters take over.

For years, residents of the community have lived under the constant threat of devastating floods that submerge homes, destroy household belongings and leave families counting huge losses after every downpour.

According to residents, life during the rainy season has become unbearable. “Once the rain starts, nobody has peace of mind, whether you are at work or in the market, your first instinct is to rush home because you never know how much damage the flood would have caused before you arrive,” one resident lamented.

Those unable to get home in time often return to heart-breaking scenes of submerged furniture, damaged electrical appliances, soaked documents and personal belongings either destroyed or washed away by raging floodwaters.

Residents say the flooding has become an annual disaster, yet no lasting solution has been implemented despite repeated appeals to government authorities.

Community members believe the persistent flooding is largely caused by the obstruction of natural drainage channels and waterways. According to them, some structures were allegedly erected on the natural drainage alignments, blocking the free flow of stormwater.

As a result, water, deprived of its natural course forces its way through residential buildings and streets, turning homes into temporary rivers whenever rainfall becomes intense.

Among the seven streets reportedly affected within the neighbourhood, residents insist that Abubakar Close suffers the worst impact. Every heavy rainfall leaves the street completely inundated, with floodwaters invading homes and making movement almost impossible.

Beyond the destruction of property, residents fear that the situation now poses a serious threat to human life. Parents worry constantly about the safety of their children, while the elderly and vulnerable residents face enormous risks whenever floodwaters rise.

Many families now live through every rainy season with fear and uncertainty, unsure whether the next rainfall could result in a tragedy.

Frustrated by years of recurring flooding, the residents have written separate petitions to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, appealing for immediate government intervention.

In the petitions signed on behalf of the community by Abdul Wahab Ajonkoto, the residents described their situation as “a sincere cry for help” and urged the Lagos State Government not to wait until lives are lost before taking decisive action.

The residents appealed to government to urgently inspect the affected community, identify structures obstructing natural drainage channels, remove illegal encroachments where necessary in accordance with the law, restore and desilt existing drainage systems and implement sustainable flood-control measures.

The petition dated July 7, 2026,  and submitted to the governor and the commissioner’s office on July 28, was attached with photographs showing the extent of flooding and the hardship experienced by residents.

The residents appeal comes at a time when Lagos has continued to experience heavier rainfall associated with seasonal climate patterns, with several communities across the state facing increasing flood risks.

For the residents of Abubakar Close, however, government intervention cannot come soon enough.

To them, the issue is no longer simply about flooded streets or damaged household items. It is about protecting lives, preserving homes and restoring hope to a community that has spent years living under the shadow of disaster.

As another rainy season progresses, the people of Abubakar Close continue to wait, not merely for the rain to stop, but for decisive action that will free them from a cycle of fear, destruction and uncertainty that has become their annual reality.

For these residents, every passing storm is a reminder that without urgent intervention, the next rainfall could prove even more devastating than the last.