The Magodo Phase II Residents Association has urged 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 the vehicles could be used to force entry into the estate.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its chairman, Niyi Odusi, the residents called on the state government to remove the vehicles and secure the boundaries of Magodo Phase II.
“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 read.
“This standard tactic by land grabbers poses a direct threat to the security of our residents and risks a total breakdown of peace.
“We call upon Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to order the immediate evacuation of these vehicles and protect the boundaries of Magodo Phase II.”
The association warned that the alleged development could damage the Magodo wetland and increase the risk of flooding in surrounding communities, urging the government to intervene before construction begins.
It also called on the administration to honour assurances it said were given to the association on November 26, 2023, by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide.
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“At that time, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Oluyinka Olumide, assured the MRA that the state would not facilitate access routes through the estate into the virgin land, respecting the structural integrity of our community,” the statement said.
The residents argued that permitting the proposed development would contradict the state government’s environmental policies on wetland protection.
They cited remarks attributed to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who they said had warned about the potential flooding consequences of building on the wetland.
According to the association, Wahab warned that flooding resulting from construction on the wetland could make the disaster at Isheri-Oshun look like “child’s play” and assured residents that the government’s position on wetland protection would be enforced.
The association also cited the position of a former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Francisco Abosede, who it said had described the soil as unsuitable for residential construction.
It said Abosede had explained that the Lagos State Master Plan identified the wetland as a natural stormwater collection area for Agidingbi, Ikeja, Ogba and Alausa.
The residents warned that interfering with the wetland could disrupt natural drainage and heighten the risk of flooding across the affected areas.
“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 association said.
The residents maintained that they would resist any development they believed posed a threat to their safety, properties and environment.
“The MRA will not stand by and watch land speculators endanger our lives, properties, and environment in open defiance of government directives,” the statement read.
“We demand that the Lagos State Government enforce its laws, honor its pledges, 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 the development.
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