Governor Sanwo-Olu warns against waterfront abuse, illegal mining in Lagos

…as SAN knocks FG over interpretation of S’Court’s verdict

By Adeola Ogunrinde –

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has issued a stern warning to individuals and organizations engaged in illegal dredging, unregulated sand mining, and reckless land reclamation across Lagos State’s waterfronts, declaring that such activities will no longer be tolerated.

Speaking at the first Lagos State Waterfront Summit on Thursday at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, the governor decried the rapid degradation of the state’s coastal and marine assets. He cited illegal activities and climate change as major contributors to erosion, flooding, and displacement of communities.

Sanwo-Olu referenced his visits to vulnerable communities such as Ibeshe, Ilashe, and Inagbe, where residents are already suffering the consequences of waterfront mismanagement. He pointed to Idotun Village, once thriving but now almost consumed by the Atlantic Ocean, as a grim warning of what inaction could lead to.

“This is the human face of coastal erosion, a wake-up call that we must act urgently and decisively,” he said, noting that over 80 percent of Lagos’ shoreline has been lost in the past 50 years. He revealed ongoing efforts to strengthen the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, empower local communities, and enforce stricter regulations on waterfront activities.

Guest speaker, former Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr. Muiz Banire, stressed the urgent need for collective action to protect the Lagos Lagoon, describing its preservation as a shared responsibility. He urged lawmakers, regulators, industries, and citizens to embrace sustainable practices.

Banire also called on industries to prioritize long-term environmental sustainability over short-term profits. He criticized the Federal Government for allegedly twisting a Supreme Court judgment relating to the ownership of waterfront property.

According to him, the apex court’s verdict in the suit between Lagos State and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) did not confer ownership of waterfront property on the Federal Government. He explained that the matter, initiated through an interpleader summons by boat operators and dredgers associations, was misrepresented.

Earlier, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, described the lagoon as more than just water, highlighting its cultural, economic, and ecological value to millions of Lagosians. He listed pollution, unchecked urbanization, illegal dredging, and climate change as growing threats, stressing that depletion of fish stocks is worsening food insecurity and harming artisanal fishermen.