Disaster Looms In Aguda As Developer Begins Sand Filling Of Major Canal

…Residents, Schools, Houses, Business Entities Threatened

…Appeal To Lagos State Govt. To Intervene To Avoid Catastrophe

Residents of Aguda, business entities, secondary and primary schools, mosque and churches in the area have appealed to the Lagos state Government to stop a female developer from sand filling and blocking the major canal that flows from Aguda to Census Area to avoid flooding and catastrophe.

The female developer was said to have brought in workmen and policemen sometimes this month to the canal where he instructed them to sand fill the canal to erect a structure, a development which the residents had frowned.

The residents contended that sand filling, blocking and eventually building on the canal would amount to inviting flooding in Aguda and its environs.

Abelnewsng.com also learnt that the sand filling which the female developer, who is yet to be identified has done wreck a lot of havoc in  Aguda Grammar School and Ayetoro Primary School, houses  and businesses in the area.

The online platform learnt that last Sunday, September 24, 2017, downpour sacked people from their houses, pupils and students from their schools and businessmen and women from their businesses, as their premises were taken over by flood caused by the filling of the canal by the developer.

It was gathered that flood flowed into these places because the canal rightful route had been sand filled, blocked and converted to a building site by a female developer.

The residents alleged that the female developer usually come with a retinue of policemen to carry out what they termed illegal construction.

A resident of Aguda, Mr. Frank Meke , who spoke to abelnewsng.com stated that the residents had been leaving peacefully in Aguda all these years without experiencing flooding in their respective houses, schools or in their business premises but that ever since the canal was sand filled and blocked, flooding became the order of the day anytime it rains.

“When it rained last Sunday, it was hell for Aguda residents. The entire community is in danger of been flooded and because of the flood Ayetoro Primary School, Aguda Grammar School were flooded. The Lagos State Government should stop this woman from building on a canal that serves the people. Already, the fences of houses, schools, churches have started falling. Government should look into the matter and stop the unknown developer from causing disaster in Aguda,” he pleaded.

“How can somebody be sand filling a major canal in the state in preparation to erect a structure on it especially now that the Lagos state government is preaching against building on canals and drainages? We don’t want to experience what happen in Benue State, where about 110,000 people were reported to have been rendered homeless by flood and about five confirmed dead,” Meke said.

He added that as result of this man-made flooding, schools in the area are forced to close down to avoid human catastrophe, adding that the effect of the illegal sand filling and blocking  of the canal has started manifesting ,as block fences constructed to prevent intruders into houses, business premises in the area have collapsed.

Meke declared that the question Aguda residents are now asking is, “who gave the female developer approval to build on the canal that empties water from Aguda to Census Area?

*The buildings with blue roofs is Ayetoro Primary School,Aguda threatened by the activities of the female developer

Meke, who was obviously angry, argued that what the female developer had done contradicts the Lagos State Environment Law, which prohibits people from erecting building on canals and drainages.

Salami Ayorinde, another resident, who spoke to abelnewsng.com on condition of anonymity for fear of being harassed by the developer, stated that despite protest by residents against the developer’s activities, considering the negative effect it would have on people and environment, the developer was not moved.

He stated that instead of listening to the residents, the developer brought policemen guard her workmen when they are sand filling the canal, adding that as a result of the flooding experienced last Sunday, the fence demarcating Ayetoro Primary School and the Canal  for example has cracked and may fall any time from now.

A visit to the area by abelnewsng.com revealed that the canal has not only been sand filled but that it has also been blocked thereby reducing the flow of water from Aguda to Census Area through a very narrow path, a situation that has created flooding in the area.

Also at the area, bricklayers were seen reconstructing a brick fence that was affected by the flooding cause by the developer’s illegal sand filling.

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