By Sodiq Adelakun
Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has sounded a stern warning to individuals and organisations involved in illegal dredging, unregulated sand mining, and reckless land reclamation along the state’s waterfronts, stressing that such environmental violations will no longer be tolerated.
Speaking at the inaugural Lagos State Waterfront Summit on Thursday at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, the governor declared that unlawful activities on the waterways threaten both the ecological balance and the economic stability of Lagos.
“Let me be perfectly clear: those who profit from illegal dredging, reckless land reclamation, and environmental destruction are jeopardising the future for generations to come, and Lagos will no longer tolerate it,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The summit, themed “Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience”, brought together stakeholders from government, academia, the private sector, and waterfront communities.
Sanwo-Olu voiced concern over the rapid degradation of coastal and marine assets, pointing to erosion, flooding, and the displacement of communities caused by illegal operations and climate change. He referenced visits to vulnerable areas such as Ibeshe, Ilashe, and Inagbe, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
“This is the human face of coastal erosion… a wake-up call that we must act urgently and decisively,” he noted, adding that more than 80 percent of Lagos’ shoreline has been lost in the past five decades.
The governor disclosed measures to reinforce the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, empower communities, and tighten enforcement of regulations on waterfront activity. He warned that offenders would face the full consequences of the law.
Former Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Muiz Banire, pressed for a united front in protecting the Lagos Lagoon, describing its preservation as a shared duty.
“This is not the fight of government alone. This is the fight of us all. Regulators must craft visionary laws, but not without properly federalising the country. Legislators must enact laws that endure beyond politics, while regulators must enforce them without fear, favour, or compromise,” Banire said.
He further called on industries to adopt sustainable practices and prioritise environmental protection over short-term profit. Banire also accused the Federal Government of misrepresenting a Supreme Court ruling on waterfront ownership.
“In that case, nowhere was the issue of ownership of land, whether on the waterfront or island, a subject of consideration or pronouncement by the court. The decision is now misrepresented as conferring ownership on the Federal Government,” he explained.
Earlier, the Lagos Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, underlined the lagoon’s centrality to life, culture, and the economy of Lagos.
“We have all witnessed how some coastal communities like Idotun Village have been swept away. If nothing is done, more communities, livelihoods, and opportunities will be lost,” he said, pointing to pollution, unchecked urbanisation, illegal dredging, and climate change as looming threats.
Bush-Alebiosu also drew attention to depleted fish stocks and the dangers this poses to food security and artisanal livelihoods.
“If we continue down this path, we risk losing not only a vital ecosystem but also an irreplaceable economic asset,” he cautioned.