The Lagos State government has issued a 48-hour notice to property owners and squatters along the Gbagada Bariga Channel to vacate the area.

The drainage channel, which serves Bariga, Gbagada, Sholuyi, and surrounding communities, has been obstructed by illegal structures and shanties, causing significant flooding recently.

Officials have noted that squatters have taken over the channel, posing security risks and disrupting the estate.

Property owners who constructed buildings that impede the water flow have also been cited. The presence of these obstructions has blocked collectors meant to channel stormwater, leading to the flooding experienced in the area this week.

After the 48-hour notice period, the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources will begin dismantling the illegal structures to restore the channel’s functionality and alleviate the flooding issues.