News

Residents Count Losses As Floodwaters Take Over Lagos Communities

Published

4 months ago

August 9, 2025

…Body of missing child recovered

Even days after the Monday morning downpour that submerged several parts of Lagos, conversations around the incident continue to trigger anxiety among residents, particularly those who were directly affected. For many in the metropolis’ coastal districts, the mere sight of a gathering cloud is now enough to send a chill down the spine.

The fear, unfortunately, is not misplaced. With warnings of more rainfall and the floods they bring, the aftermath of the storm remains a grim reminder of nature’s fury.

Communities such as Aboru in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, Iyana-Ejigbo in Ejigbo Local Government Area, Adamo in Ikorodu Local Government Area and Oke-Elepe in Ijede LCDA were among the worst hit, with homes, cars and livelihoods submerged.

In addition to grounding economic activities statewide, the storm destroyed property worth millions of naira and rendered roads impassable for hours.

Body of missing child recovered in Ayetoro

Chairman of Agbado-Oke Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Ernest Kasunmu, confirmed that a seven-year-old child swept away by the flood was later found dead at Mopo Junction in Ayetoro, Ogun State, four days after the incident.

“This is not the first time we’re seeing this. We have had children go missing, properties lost, but many cases go unreported,” he said.

While acknowledging efforts by the Lagos State government to mitigate the flood’s impact, Kasunmu lamented that current measures fall short.

“In Aboru, around the Erelu River bank, entire communities were underwater. The government dredged the canal last year, but flooding persists every time it rains,” he said.

He cited inadequate desilting, especially along the boundary with Ogun State, as a major issue, calling for consistent dredging of the lower stream that flows into Ogun.

Kasunmu also called for the demolition of buildings constructed along canal paths and urged the government to provide alternatives for those living in flood-prone zones.

“These wetlands are unsuitable for housing. But desperation, driven by hardship and housing scarcity, forces people to build there. Government housing isn’t affordable; they are not low-cost. We need inclusive solutions,” he said.

He further demanded community involvement in government contracts, noting that “in Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, we are always at the receiving end.”

Poor topography, land grabbers behind Ikorodu flooding – CDC

In Ikorodu, the story was just as grim. Alhaji Lukman Shonibare, Secretary of the CDC, pointed to unregulated land sales, blocked drainage channels and poor topography as key culprits.

“Flooding wreaked havoc in Ajegunle and Gberigbe. Even newly constructed roads in Adamo were damaged,” he said.

He blamed unscrupulous land grabbers who sell swampy, lowland plots without drainage provisions.

“There is no plan for water flow. That is why the Gberigbe road project by Governor Sanwo-Olu came as a relief; it included a proper drainage channel,” he noted.

Shonibare warned that the recurring floods will persist unless the government enforces planning regulations.

“Officials from Physical Planning and Environment ministries must visit these sites, assess the terrain, and enforce guidelines,” he said.

He added that waste dumping into gutters, often due to poverty and lack of waste disposal services, compounds the problem.

“Unfortunately, many CDA members are scared to speak up. You risk community backlash if you criticise the system,” he warned.

Abandoned road projects blamed for flooding

In Ijede LCDA, some residents blamed abandoned road projects for the current crisis.

According to Mr Saliu Oriyomi and Mr Ebun Campbell, the halted road construction at Itamaja and the lack of drainage in new estates were major contributors.

“There is no drainage in the new Oko-Ope estate. The Ijede road project was stopped at Gbodu junction. That is why flooding happens. The newly graded Adamo road has now been destroyed,” said Oriyomi.

Campbell pointed to rubble from ongoing construction on Agbole Road as the immediate cause of Monday’s flooding. “The river didn’t overflow, it was rain and blocked drainage from construction debris,” he said.

He lamented the economic toll, saying: “Many homes were flooded, and residents had to hire pumping machines. The losses are enormous.”

Iyana-Ejigbo Market built on drainage –Residents

Residents of Iyana-Ejigbo in Ejigbo Local Government Area said their troubles stem from a market built directly over drainage channels.

Ajagbe Taiwo, a resident of Rafiu Tijani Street, stated: “The market is the biggest obstruction to water flow. The road rebuilt by the last council chairman didn’t last. Rainfall immediately floods the T-junction, making the road impassable.”

He expressed the belief that until the market is relocated, flooding in the area will persist. “Water from Powerline and Ifoshi roads pools here; there’s no exit,” he said.

We are sensitising residents –Ejigbo LG chairman

Ejigbo Local Government Area chairman, Hon. Taoheed Taiwo, said his administration is actively engaging residents on proper waste disposal.

“The problem didn’t start today. We have begun sensitisation and desilting. We have deployed manpower to clear the drainage,” he stated.

He pointed to an ongoing road expansion from Daleko to Ori-Oke, which he believes will improve drainage in the long term.

Taiwo acknowledged street trading contributed to blocked drainage and praised the relocation of traders to the Iyana-Ejigbo market, while also stressing that many markets coexist with drainages without issues, provided cleanliness is maintained.

Government urges relocation from lowlands

In a Tuesday advisory, the Lagos State government urged residents in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, emphasised the need for caution, especially in coastal Ikorodu and parts of Lekki.

“Lagos has experienced intense rainfall. People living on lowlands must move to uplands until the rains subside,” he said.

Yet, critics argue the state has been slow to enforce existing environmental laws.

Akeem, a resident of Raji Razak in Aboru, said stricter enforcement is essential.

“People dump refuse in gutters with impunity. This is one of the main causes of flooding. Until offenders, no matter how highly placed, are punished, this won’t stop,” he said.
(TRIBUNE)

News

N200b Agric Credit Dispute: Appeal Court Slams NAIC, Upholds First Bank Victory

Published

2 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has dismissed the appeal filed by the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) against First Bank of Nigeria in the long-running dispute over the disbursement of the Federal Government’s N200 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme.

The decision was one of seven precedent-setting judgments delivered in six hours on Friday by Justice Okon Abang, underscoring his reputation as a hardworking, firm, and uncompromisingly principled jurist whose rulings continue to shape Nigeria’s legal landscape across criminal, human rights, banking, and civil litigation.

In 2013, the NAIC dragged First Bank before the Federal High Court via originating summons, alleging that the bank failed to deduct the mandatory 2.5 per cent premium under the agriculture credit scheme. First Bank promptly filed a counter-affidavit and written address, with both sides joining issues and exchanging further processes over the years.

But when the case was ripe for hearing, NAIC sought to suddenly withdraw its suit—claiming an unnamed Bankers’ Committee representative had approached it for an out-of-court settlement.

First Bank objected, insisting that once pleadings had been exchanged, withdrawal without consent should lead to dismissal, not a mere striking out. To strike out, the bank argued, would allow NAIC a second bite at the cherry—an abuse of process.

The Federal High Court agreed and dismissed the suit, prompting NAIC to head to the Court of Appeal.

Delivering the unanimous judgment of the Court of Appeal, Justice Abang held that NAIC’s appeal was “grossly misconceived” and that, having seen the bank’s defence, NAIC attempted to retreat and re-strategise, “only being smart, believing that it could cunningly manipulate judicial proceedings to save a suit that appears weak and manifestly unsupported.”

He stressed that, once a defendant’s counter-affidavit has been served, any withdrawal by the claimant must naturally lead to dismissal, not striking out, to avoid overreaching the respondent.

Justice Abang agreed with the trial court that, “Since issues have been joined and the matter has previously been adjourned on several occasions, the proper order to make on the application of the plaintiff is to dismiss the suit.”

The Court of Appeal also questioned NAIC’s reliance on an alleged intervention by the Bankers’ Committee—a non-party that had earlier resisted being joined in the matter.

The appellate court concluded that NAIC, having sighted the bank’s counter-affidavit, simply lost confidence in its case and sought a “soft landing” to refile later.

News

Nigeria Records One Of Africa’s Widest Gaps In Policy Reputation Index

Published

3 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Nigeria has been identified as one of the African nations suffering the largest disconnect between policy delivery and citizen trust, a finding described as the “defining governance crisis” across the continent, according to the inaugural RPI African Policy Index 2025 released by Reputation Poll International (RPI).

The comprehensive Index, which evaluates governance and policy performance across all 54 African countries, places Nigeria in the middle tier of “Strugglers” with an overall score of 52.3. This category reflects nations that achieve partial policy results but fail to earn public confidence.

Drawing from hard data on policy implementation and perception surveys involving over 25,000 Africans, the report shows that Nigeria records one of the continent’s widest Trust Gaps, sometimes exceeding 25 points between objective performance and citizen confidence.

The report flags Nigeria alongside South Africa, Angola, Egypt, and Zimbabwe as countries with the most severe mismatches.

In Nigeria, anti-corruption laws and other initiatives score reasonably well on paper but fail to inspire public trust due to perceived elite impunity and inconsistent enforcement.

Similar patterns exist across these nations, where oil wealth, infrastructure spending, and progressive legislation do not convince ordinary citizens that governments genuinely serve their interests. This trust deficit is highlighted as Africa’s core governance challenge.

The Index emphasises that without deliberate measures to close the gap—through transparent data, citizen audits, and visible accountability—policy ambitions alone cannot produce stable or legitimate outcomes.

By contrast, a small group of nations scoring above 70 demonstrate that world-class governance is achievable when delivery is matched by citizen belief.

Mauritius leads with 78.9, followed by Seychelles at 76.4, Cabo Verde at 74.8, and Botswana at 73.2. These countries excel because strong economic management, high vaccination rates, transparent institutions, and consistent progress in education and digital reforms are reinforced by equally high public trust.

Botswana and Mauritius succeed not because they are wealthy, but because they systematically include citizens in monitoring and feedback, narrowing the trust deficit to near zero.

Over half of Africa, however, remains far from this standard. The Strugglers tier (50–69.9) encompasses 30 countries, while 18 “Systemic Challengers” score below 50, from Sierra Leone at 49.2 to South Sudan at 28.4.

In these countries, structural breakdowns, chronic insecurity, and collapsed legitimacy produce average Trust Gaps of 35 points, undermining even modest policy efforts amid daily experiences of violence and exclusion.

Central Africa records the lowest regional average at 41.2, while Southern Africa dominates the top tier. West, East, and North Africa deliver mixed results.

For Nigerian leadership, the Index sends a clear message: policy formulation alone is no longer sufficient. As the country grapples with debt, youth unemployment, and climate pressures, bridging the Trust Gap through better communication, transparency, and inclusive monitoring has become essential to achieve sustained development and restore public confidence.

The RPI African Policy Index 2025 stands as both a warning and a roadmap: unless the trust deficit is addressed, Africa’s governance crisis will only deepen.
(GUARDIAN)