The Magodo Phase II Residents Association has called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to halt what it described as an unauthorised attempt by developers to construct link roads through the estate to access a protected wetland.
The association said a number of articulated trucks and heavy-duty equipment had been stationed outside the Shangisha Gate, raising concerns about a possible forceful entry into the estate.
In a press statement issued on Monday and signed by its chairman, Niyi Odusi, the association urged the governor to order the removal of 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 said the alleged development could compromise the Magodo wetland and lead to flooding in surrounding communities, urging the state 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.
“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 allowing the proposed development to proceed would conflict with the state’s environmental policies on wetland protection.
They cited comments attributed to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who they said had warned of the potential flooding consequences of building on the wetland.
According to the association, Wahab warned that flooding caused by construction on the wetland could make the disaster at Isheri-Oshun look like “child’s play” and assured residents that the state’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, whom it said had described the soil as unsuitable for residential construction.
It said Abosede had explained that, under the Lagos State Master Plan, the wetland served as a natural stormwater collection area for Agidingbi, Ikeja, Ogba and Alausa.
The statement warned that interfering with the wetland could disrupt drainage and increase 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 oppose any development they believed threatened 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 development or provide details of any construction approval issued for the project.