By Peter Omopo
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared a total clampdown on illegal dredging, unregulated sand mining, and reckless land reclamation across Lagos State, warning that offenders will face the full weight of the law.
The governor made the declaration at the First Lagos State Waterfront Summit, themed “Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience.” He warned that the activities of illegal operators were undermining both the ecological balance and economic future of the state.
“Those who profit from illegal dredging and environmental destruction are jeopardizing the future of generations to come. Lagos will no longer tolerate it,” Sanwo-Olu said. He noted that visits to communities such as Ibeshe, Ilashe, Inagbe, and Idotun revealed severe erosion and flooding that had already displaced residents.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed plans to strengthen the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, empower local communities, and enforce stricter regulations to safeguard the state’s coastline, which has reportedly lost more than 80 percent of its shoreline in the past five decades.
In a keynote address, former Environment Commissioner Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN) described the Lagos Lagoon as “the soul of Lagos” and called for urgent measures to preserve it. He faulted the Federal Government’s interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling on waterfront ownership, arguing that true federalism and resource control were vital for Lagos’ survival. Banire also urged the creation of a Lagos Lagoon Authority to unify fragmented mandates, harmonize enforcement, and ensure accountability.
Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, highlighted the dangers of unchecked urbanisation, pollution, illegal dredging, and climate change, warning that they were depleting fish stocks and endangering livelihoods. “If nothing is done, more communities and opportunities will be lost,” he cautioned.
The summit brought together government officials, academics, private sector stakeholders, and waterfront communities, all of whom stressed the need for decisive action to protect Lagos’ fragile coastal ecosystem.
