Lagos issues 100+ contravention notices for illegal land reclamation

• Published On: 07 April 2025 at 16:57

The Lagos State Government, under the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, has issued over 100 violation warnings to individuals and developers involved in unauthorised land reclamation in Lekki's Ikota region.

This enforcement activity is part of a larger effort to protect the state's waterfront zones and ensure compliance with physical planning and environmental rules.

The information was released in a statement posted on the Lagos State Government's official Facebook page on Sunday.

Along with the infringement warnings, the ministry issued ten stop-work orders to put an end to unauthorised reclamation activities in Ikota, Lekki, which were encroaching on the natural creek corridor.

"The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Honourable Ekundayo Alebiosu, conducted a routine monitoring exercise along the Ikota Creek and Eleganza axis, revealing the violations.

"As part of ongoing efforts to safeguard Lagos' waterfront corridors and uphold physical planning regulations across the state, the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development (MWID) has issued over 100 contravention notices and 10 stop-work orders against illegal land reclamation in Ikota, Lekki," according to a statement.

The post included several images of the properties served with the warnings. One photograph depicted many white, single-story structures within a gated area, immediately behind a shallow water body. The buildings' outside walls showed obvious symptoms of water damage, such as wetness and water-stained paint, indicating prolonged exposure to moisture.

The statement further disclosed that during the operation, Commissioner Ekundayo Alebiosu voiced alarm over the increasing number of unauthorised reclamation activities in the area, describing them as a substantial threat to both the environment and local infrastructure.

He emphasised the necessity of conserving the waterfront as a critical natural buffer for the health of current and future generations.

Any sort of illegal encroachment planned or carried out by any individual will be vigorously opposed by the Ministry and would have serious consequences," he stated.