Lagos, Niger, Adamawa Hit by Severe Flooding After Heavy Downpour

A torrential downpour that began at midnight on Sunday and persisted well into Monday evening left many parts of Lagos State submerged, grinding economic activity to a halt and stranding thousands of residents.

In Ijede, a community in the Ikorodu area, videos that circulated online showed homes and vehicles swallowed by floodwaters. Other flood-prone zones such as Lekki, Eti-Osa, Ajegunle, Agege, Surulere, and Alimosho were also severely impacted. Roads turned to rivers as blocked drainage channels and overflowing canals forced residents to wade through waist-deep water or remain indoors. Businesses were shut, transport routes were cut off, and social media buzzed with desperate pleas for help.

Meanwhile, parts of Niger State also suffered devastating floods after hours of rainfall washed away farmlands and submerged homes in Lapai, Paikoro, and Mokwa Local Government Areas. Just last week, floods swept through eight communities in Adamawa State, adding to the growing list of affected regions across Nigeria.

Responding to the crisis in Lagos, the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, issued a statement on Monday, acknowledging the suffering of residents and assuring them of the government’s ongoing efforts to tackle flooding.

He warned that a fresh advisory from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had forecast more thunderstorms and heavy rainfall over the next three days. “Some parts of the state may experience flash flooding because of the inability of the major collectors not being able to contain the run-off resulting from the very heavy rainfalls,” Wahab said.

He explained that Lagos’s vulnerability stems from its coastal nature and the growing effects of climate change. However, he urged residents not to panic.

Wahab advised parents to monitor their children closely during the school holidays and strongly discouraged outdoor play in flood-prone areas during this period. He also warned against the reckless disposal of waste into drains during rainfall, saying such actions directly contribute to the blockage of waterways and the rise of flash floods.

He added that the state would continue its all-year drainage maintenance and channel-clearing operations to mitigate the effects of the rainy season.