Posted on September 29, 2025
The Lagos State Government has arrested five suspects during a monitoring and enforcement exercise aimed at curbing illegal reclamation and dredging along the shores of the Lagos Lagoon.
The operation, which took place across the Lekki axis, was conducted by the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development in collaboration with the Ministries of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Environment and Water Resources, and the Lands Bureau.
During the exercise, the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, led officials in sealing off a property at 13A Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, for carrying out illegal reclamation works and unauthorised fence extensions without government approval.
Alebiosu condemned the actions of the perpetrators, describing them as an act of “legendary audacity” and “blatant disregard for the law.”
“This particular building has been sealed on several occasions by all the relevant ministries dating from last year up until now, yet the owners have continued with construction and social activities without any regard. We are back today with the Ministry of Physical Planning and Ministry of the Environment and the Drainage Services,” he said.
He added that the state government would prosecute the offenders, which could lead to the forfeiture of the illegally reclaimed land, while the recovered sand would be diverted for other productive uses.
Commissioner for Physical Planning, Dr Olumide Oluyinka, said his ministry visited the property a year ago when the owner presented a layout of 1,200 square metres, but had since extended it to 8,000 square metres.
“The site is again sealed today. We will revoke all authorities they have on this land. The construction is also not fully completed, but people are still partying there, which puts people’s lives at risk. That’s why we are sealing off this place,” he said.
The enforcement team also sealed several illegal dredging and reclamation sites along the Lekki foreshore, where five suspects were apprehended while others escaped.
Alebiosu expressed concern over the scale of illegal sand mining, stating that many operations were being carried out without the required Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).
“We have no records of applications to carry out reclamation works along this axis. These operations are illegal. Some of the dredging is done as far stretched as 7km into the lagoon, with no accurate record of the quantity of sand taken out, which is then used to carry out illegal reclamation works,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the proliferation of shanties along the lagoon, which often serve as hideouts for criminals, and disclosed that one vessel fled the scene as officials arrived.
Reacting to the situation, Oluyinka said the joint enforcement effort was aimed at stopping illegal reclamation and development.
Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Mahmood Adegbite, said his office had stopped the illegal reclamation two months earlier, adding that illicit operators had blocked three water channels into the lagoon and that the state would not allow the activity to continue.
Permanent Secretary of the Office of Environmental Services, Mobolaji Gaji, stated that the ministry had previously issued a stop-work order in the area, noting that the primary water channel to the lagoon had been blocked, which could impact the local ecosystem.
“We have sealed the place and we are waiting for them to have their papers. We have to monitor every reclamation. We have seen there is too much reclamation going on and we want to enforce the law,” he said.
The team also inspected activities at the Ilubirin housing project waterfront. Alebiosu said the enforcement operation followed the recently concluded Waterfront Summit, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu pledged to intensify the crackdown on illegal reclamation and dredging to protect lives and property in line with the administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S+ agenda.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting waterfronts and lagoons from abuse and warned that offenders would face the full weight of the law.
Other agencies involved in the operation included the Lands Bureau, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), and other government bodies.
