The Lagos State Government has intensified its crackdown on illegal dredging and land reclamation activities along the Lagos Lagoon, sealing several sites in the Lekki axis and arresting five suspects during a joint enforcement exercise on Saturday.
The operation was led by the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon. Dayo Bush Alebiosu, in collaboration with the Ministries of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Environment and Water Resources, and the Lands Bureau.
At 13A Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, officials sealed a building for engaging in illegal reclamation works and unauthorized extension of its fence into the lagoon without state approval. Hon. Alebiosu condemned the actions as “an act of legendary audacity” carried out with disregard for the law, noting that the property had been sealed several times since last year but construction and social activities had continued.
He revealed that the State Government would prosecute offenders, stressing that the reclaimed land could be forfeited, while sand recovered from illegal operations would be diverted to productive use.
Commissioner for Physical Planning, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, disclosed that the property owner had initially presented a layout of 1,200 square meters but had now illegally extended the site to 8,000 square meters. “The site is sealed today, and all authorities they have on this land will be revoked. It is unsafe to allow people to party at an incomplete construction site,” he said.
The enforcement team also discovered numerous illegal dredging sites at the Lekki Foreshore, many of which were sealed. Five suspects were apprehended while others fled on sighting officials. Alebiosu lamented that dredging operations stretched as far as 7km into the lagoon, with no environmental approvals or accurate records of sand excavation.
Permanent Secretaries from the Offices of Drainage Services and Environmental Services, Messrs Mahmood Adegbite and Mobolaji Gaji, warned that illegal reclamation had already blocked critical water channels, threatening the ecosystem.
Saturday’s operation follows commitments made at the recently concluded Lagos Waterfront Summit, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu pledged to protect the state’s waterfronts from abuse in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Development Agenda.
Hon. Alebiosu reaffirmed that Lagos would not relent in enforcing the law:
“We will continue to protect our waterfronts and lagoons against abuse. Offenders will face the full weight of the law.”
Also present during the exercise were Executive Secretary of the Lands Bureau, Lolade Ajetumobi; General Manager of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Cole (Rtd), and other top officials.