The Flood That Led To The Demolition In Mende

There were major incidents of flooding in the Mende and Aboru areas in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and the Lagos State Government subsequently issued contravention orders to owners of properties that had encroached on the right of way of the System 1 Canal, a canal that is a very important drain on the Mainland.

Contravention notices were issued in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Late in 2023 the residents, accompanied by the representative at the Lagos House of Assembly went to see the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources. The Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment was also at the meeting.

At that meeting the residents admitted that they had been served contravention notices since 2021.

However, a singer, Yemi Alade, recently said that the residents were only given 2 hours notice before their properties were demolished. This thread documents all the events, beginning from the floods.

Lagos Fire And Rescue Service @LagosRescue

Lagos Fire Rescues Nine from a Sinking Building

Nine trapped victims have been rescued from a sinking building at 45, Akinyemi Street, Akinwunmi Estate, Mende, Maryland Lagos

The alert which was received from a sister agency, NEMA at 10:00 hours Monday, was quickly followed by the deployment of the Ikeja Fire Station.

On arrival at the scene, it was discovered that nine female adults were trapped in a storey building which is sinking given the terrain of the environment and coupled with the overnight heavy rain downpour leading to flooding.

The Firefighters swiftly swung into action, rescuing all nine alive without any form of injury with the compliments of other emergency responders at the scene.

The rescued victims are all in stable condition while search and rescue operations have been concluded with the evacuation of all at risk.
It should, however be noted that rights to personal safety lie with huge sense of responsibility which requires every sense of responsibility

which requires evacuating unsafe areas including floods, defective structures and hazardous vicinity.

Ogabi Olajide
Chief Fire Officer
Deputy Head
Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service
September 12, 2022