Magodo residents Lagos seek government help over erosion threat

Residents and property owners in Magodo Lagos Housing Scheme have called for the state government’s intervention over an erosion threat to properties valued at over N7 billion in the estate. The affected zones include Filling Edge, Green Valley and George Udom streets from the old Oko filling.

The area, which used to be a borough pit where sand were excavated for filing has been caught up by development while the absence of proper drains to gather storm waters has widened the pit and presently endangering over 70 houses.

Chairman of Magodo Residents’ Association (MRA), Mr. Jade Niboro, who spoke after a tour of estate, said the entire Magodo is at the verge of being washed away by erosion if government does not arrest the situation by constructing a retaining wall and proper drainage, which the residents themselves cannot afford. He also called for the suspension and revocation of allocation of the wetlands, which naturally takes storm water away from Magodo, Shangisha, Alausa, and Otedola and across the expressway.

“If those wetlands are built up, where do you expect all the storm water to go, which goes into the natural canal that leads to Agiliti?” he queried. Niboro stressed that the residents are against the allocation of the wetland because it is distorting endangered species like monkeys and other species, while a review of the master-plan will expose the dry and high land of Magodo to erosion and ecological problems.

He further urged the state government to do the needful by stopping any kind of allocation that is done on the wetlands. “The Filing Edge and George Udom Street, which is on the high land are now prone to erosion and it has started eroding all the properties to the right hand side sitting on the height of Oko filling. It is a very long stretch making an L shape and is all at the verge of being washed away by erosion.

“The wetlands and our ecological treasure must be preserved and proper retaining walls constructed to preserve these places and save the entire Magodo from danger. For instance, on Abdul Quadri, further down, once it rains, the storm water goes into the properties because there is no proper drains to collect the water and these projects are bigger than what the association itself can accommodate”, he added.Speaking in same vein, the second vice chairman of the association, Mrs. Kemi Omotoso, urged government to wade into the situation as the fears expressed by residents are beginning to come to reality.