Anxiety in Ibeju-Lekki as Coastal Highway expansion sparks flood, demolition fears (Videos)

— Communities face catastrophic flooding

Whenever heavy rainfall occurs, several coastal communities along the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State experience severe flooding that submerges dozens of homes and forces families to evacuate to safer locations.

Community members attribute the persistent flooding to a reportedly blocked drainage channel linked to ongoing construction work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which cuts through the affected communities and is said to have disrupted the natural flow of water in the coastal corridor.

When Nationaldailyng.com visited communities like Iberekodo and Idado, two of the 53 other communities in Ibeju-Lekki, all expressed similar frustrations, warning that the multi-billion-naira coastal road — a flagship infrastructure initiative of President Bola Tinubu — could trigger catastrophic flooding and erase entire settlements if urgent interventions are not made.

“Our Homes Are Now Below the Road”

In the two communities, and surrounding settlements, residents say sections of the highway have been elevated far above adjoining communities, leaving houses and shops sitting below the new road level.

“When heavy rain comes, the water has nowhere to go,” Barrister Temitope Olorunkinse, one of the community leaders in Iberekodo community whose law firm now lies noticeably beneath the highway embankment, told Nationaldailyng.com. “Before, water flowed naturally into the swamps. Now those paths are blocked.”

Community leaders allege that construction activities have obstructed natural drainage channels in several locations, particularly around Eleko, increasing fears of severe flooding during the upcoming rainy season.

An elderly resident, Pa Suleiman Akinola, described the situation bluntly: ““Since the second section of the road commenced, the contractor has been sand-filling the alignment area to a usable elevation. They have built a bridge beneath the elevation, which they want to link with the Dangote-created bridge, but it has been blocked by sand.

“Water is currently not passing through the bridge on the alignment and the elevation is high enough that it cannot overflow. Because of this, rainwater is being forced back into our houses and business centres.”

Environmental Concerns Over Wetlands and Mangroves

Environmental degradation is another major source of anxiety. Civil society groups monitoring the project have expressed concern that swamps, wetlands, and mangroves — critical for natural water absorption and runoff management in coastal ecosystems — have been altered or cleared.

“These wetlands are not empty land,” said environmental advocate Tolu Fadare. “They are nature’s drainage system. When you disrupt them without adequate mitigation, the consequences can be devastating.”

Despite official assurances, critics point out that a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) meeting full regulatory standards has yet to be publicly concluded, raising questions about compliance and long-term sustainability.

Government’s Position: Human Activities to Blame

When contacted, the Federal Controller of Works, Engineer Olufemi Dare, rejected claims that the highway itself is responsible for flooding.

He attributed flooding incidents primarily to human factors, including indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainage channels and vandalism of construction materials.

According to him, the road design includes a robust underground drainage system featuring 1.2-metre diameter pipes specifically engineered to manage storm water discharge.

Officials maintain that when completed, the drainage infrastructure will improve rather than worsen flood control in the area.

But community leaders insist the reality on ground tells a different story.

“If the drainage is working, why are houses already experiencing water backup?” asked one resident leader.

Okun Igando Faces 150-Metre Setback Threat

In Okun Igando, a coastal settlement within Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, the situation has escalated over a proposed 150-metre setback on both sides of the highway corridor.

Community leaders say survey markings indicating possible demolition have reappeared — threatening homes, shrines, and heritage sites that have existed for generations.

Gbadebo Fatah, the Baale of Okun Igando, described the development as deeply distressing.

“We support the coastal road. It is a legacy project,” he said. “But development should not erase entire communities without dialogue and justice,” he told Nationaldailyng.com.

Adebayo Agbabiaka, another community leader, warned that a 150-metre clearance on each side of the road would leave nothing standing.

“If they take 150 metres to the right and 150 metres to the left, nothing will be left of our community,” he said. “After all our sacrifices, some officials came again to mark houses.”

Prince Abraham added that some claims suggest an even wider 1.5-kilometre corridor could be enforced in the future — a scenario he described as “total extinction” for the settlement.

Compensation Controversy

The issue of compensation remains particularly sensitive.

According to Mr Agbabiaka, some families received between N9 million and N10 million in previous demolition exercises — sums residents say are grossly inadequate given current land values in Ibeju-Lekki.

“There is nowhere in Ibeju-Lekki today where N9 million can buy land, let alone rebuild a house,” he said.

Sharahu Ogunyemi alleged that compensation in some cases covered crops but excluded permanent structures, leaving families without meaningful redress.

“We Host Mega Projects, Yet We Have Nothing”

Community leaders also point to what they describe as long standing neglect despite hosting major national economic investments.

Ibeju-Lekki is home to the Dangote Refinery and the Lekki Free Trade Zone — projects widely promoted as drivers of Nigeria’s industrial growth.

“Across Lagos, there are areas with no coastal setback enforcement, yet our homes are marked for removal,” Mr Fatah said. “The law should be fair and consistent.”

Residents claim that for nearly a decade, several communities have lacked basic amenities such as electricity and road access, even as large-scale developments rise around them.

“We endured neglect. We built our lives peacefully,” said Surau Opeyemi, another community leader. “Now we are being told development means our disappearance.”

While emphasising that they are not opposed to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the communities are demanding: Suspension of further demolitions, waivers for existing settlements; transparency; engagement with affected communities; Fair and adequate compensation; Strict environmental safeguards.

Barrister Olorunkinse noted that  homes are not obstacles, noting that development without displacement is possible..

For many residents, the highway represents both promise and peril — a symbol of national progress that could, without careful planning and consultation, wash away generations of history.