Why Lagos govt is warning Lekki residents against drilling boreholes

Mahmood Adegbite, permanent secretary in the Lagos state office of drainage services and water resources, has cautioned residents of the Lekki area against drilling boreholes, citing health risks linked to water contamination.

Adegbite issued the warning during a stakeholders meeting, where he revealed that groundwater in the peninsula is laden with faecal matter due to poor wastewater management.

“On wastewater treatment, I will say that everyone digging a borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I will call shit water,” he said.

“However, if we are able to treat all the wastewater within this axis which we have plans for, we should be able to also eradicate any form of disease that might result from non-treatment of our waste.”

He stressed the urgent need for improved wastewater treatment systems to protect public health and reduce the spread of waterborne diseases in the fast-developing district.

The permanent secretary also addressed the persistent issue of flooding in Lagos, admitting that while the government has made significant investments, existing infrastructure remains inadequate.

“Despite the fact that we have committed so much, we still need to do a lot in that space,” he said.

The Lekki corridor has witnessed rapid urbanisation in recent years, but infrastructure development has struggled to keep pace, raising concerns around environmental safety, water quality, and urban resilience.