Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of Oremeji Lalante Street in the Ijagemo area of Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State, have raised the alarm over what they describe as a devastating flood crisis caused by a building that has completely blocked the street's drainage canal, leaving dozens of homes submerged and forcing families to flee their properties. The residents, speaking through the Chairman of the Oremeji Landlords and Tenants Association, Mr. Okwe Ogah, lamented that repeated efforts to resolve the issue with the building owner and relevant government agencies had failed, leaving the community to suffer the consequences of the obstruction for years. According to the residents, water can no longer flow into the main waterway along the major road because the structure has severed the access route and drainage pathway, causing floodwaters to accumulate and submerge several houses on the street.
Ogah told The PUNCH in a telephone interview that many tenants had already relocated, while those who remained were living in a pool of water alongside reptiles and other environmental hazards. "Oremeji Lalante Street, Ijagemo, is suffering from flooding due to a house blocking access and the drainage pathway. Water cannot flow into the main waterway along the main road. Please convey our plight to the Lagos State Government so they can assist us. Our houses are being submerged because a house is obstructing the water and access routes," Ogah said. He added that several representations had been made to various government agencies, including the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Building Control, and Urban Renewal at both local government and state headquarters levels, but officials would only mark the building, invite the owner for discussions, and leave the matter unresolved.
The General Secretary of the association, John Igiba, described the situation as urgent, noting that countless visits to relevant government agencies and ministries had yielded no solution. "We have made countless visits to relevant government agencies and ministries, intimating them of our plight without a solution. Please, anybody who can should send our SOS to the Lagos State Government to come to our aid," Igiba pleaded. The immediate past chairman of the association, Moshood Adejumo, disclosed that the community had been battling the issue for a long time without resolution, and that each year, the situation worsened. He added that in addition to the flooding, residents now had to walk almost 1.5 kilometres daily to reach the main road.
One of the landlords on the street, Engineer Dauda Abobade, explained that the street was flooded because the building blocked the connection to the main road, with two gutters that carry water from the beginning of the street terminating at the house. "Our street is flooded because the building blocks the connection to the main road. The two gutters that carry water from the beginning of the street terminate at the house. Please, let anyone who has the ears of the government help us speak to them to come to our aid," Abobade appealed. Another landlord, Mr. Isaac Adeniyi, lamented that he had to evacuate his family from his building due to the severity of the flooding caused by the structure obstructing the canal. "My house is most affected because it sits next to the obstructing building. I am currently squatting with a family further down the street because water has taken over my entire compound. Please, anyone in a position to help us should urgently come to our aid," Adeniyi said.
However, the owner of the building, Mr. Kester Omoregie, defended his position, arguing that drainage infrastructure should not be on his property because his family had acquired the land legally. "Drainage must not be on our property because my family has acquired it. Drainage should not be on someone's property; it should be on government-owned land. This property was legally bought directly from the owner. We bought this property in the year 2000, and we have been living there since that time till now," Omoregie said. His response has further frustrated residents, who argue that the right-of-way for drainage channels predates private ownership and must be respected to prevent flooding and protect public safety.
The residents' plight comes amid intensified government efforts to tackle flooding across Lagos State. In June 2026, the Lagos State Government ordered the immediate demolition of illegal structures obstructing drainage channels and canal rights of way in Agungi, Ajiran, and Ikota areas, following revelations that a land-owning family had illegally blocked the outlet of a primary drainage channel leading into the Lagos Lagoon. In May 2026, the government demolished or removed 1,544 structures illegally built on drainage channels across the city. However, the residents of Oremeji Lalante Street say their community has been neglected, with government agencies failing to take decisive action despite repeated appeals.
The Lagos State Government has consistently warned that buildings obstructing natural waterways and drainage channels would be removed, but for the residents of Oremeji Lalante Street, the promised enforcement has yet to materialise. As the community continues to live in fear of worsening floods, the question remains: when will the government act to restore the natural flow of water and bring relief to the long-suffering residents of Ijagemo?
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