Oyan Dam: Lagos urges residents along Ogun River bank to relocate

The Lagos State government has advised people living along the Ogun River banks to relocate to higher grounds.

This followed the release of water from the Oyan Dam by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA).

The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the call at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos.

He said the release of water would help to maintain the sanctity of the dam and its socio-economic implications for the state,

Wahab stressed that the dam’s annual operations were informed by real-time hydrological data, rainfall predictions from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and flood outlooks from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

He said these sources guide the water release decisions to ensure both flood control and integrity of the dam.

The commissioner said the state government and OORBDA were mindful of the impact of the decisions on surrounding communities, particularly those along the Ogun River water channels extending into Lagos State.

He said: “A detailed operational report by OORBDA revealed the total water released from the dam as of October 12, stood at 1,484.2 million cubic meters (mcm).

“The volume remained below the average synthesised annual flow volume of 1,770 mcm.

“Although rainfalls across the Oyan River catchment area had been significant, with a cumulative 984.1 mm recorded in 2024. It was lower than the 2023, 1,540.8 mm, and within safe operational levels.”

Wahab pointed out that the government recognised the challenge faced by residents in the affected communities of Kara, Mile 12, Agiliti, Ikosi Ketu, Owode, Ajegunle, and Odo-Ogun as reported.

“However, I want to emphasise that while the flooding experienced in these areas has often been attributed solely to water released from the Oyan Dam, this is not entirely the case.

“In reality, the downstream section of the Ogun River is influenced by a complex network of over 52 tributaries, all of which converge and contribute to rising water levels in the affected areas,” he stated.

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