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LAGOS – Ogun State Government has warned residents of adjoining com­munities in the State to relocate to safer environment between the last week of September and the second week of October 2025.

This is because of the expected impact of rain overflow from the following Rivers and tidal lock; Ilo, Iju, Owa, Yemule, while, rivers, such as Isheri, Warewa, Akute, Ayetoro, Itele, Iju and those of the coastline of Makun, Oni, Iwopin, Igele, Ifaara (Ogun Waterside), Ebute-Imobi (Ijebu East), Tungeji Island and Agosasa in Ipokia Lo­cal Government are expected to rise also.

Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya, gave the warn­ing at the 2025 Ogun State Mid­term Flood Alert, saying residents should be prepared for the second phase of flooding, which would last for 2 weeks, predictably, from Sep­tember through November yearly.

He noted that communities men­tioned were prone to expected high rainfall and arrival of flow from the northern part of the country and its neighbour, such Benin Republic, to Ogun and Lagos States on the down­stream, adding that the release of water from the Oyan Dam might compound that of Ogun State.

Oresanya, revealed that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET, had predicted that Septem­ber would have the highest rainfall of 204mm, followed by October at 190mm, while by November the in­tensity of the rainfall would have gone down to 93mm.

He, therefore, assured the resi­dents of these communities that the State government through its State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is on red alert in case of any emergency evacuation and relocation to temporary emergen­cy camps spread across the State, while the Ministry of Environment is also working closely with the Ogun – Osun River Basin Develop­ment Authority on the release of water from Oyan Dam to reduce its impact to the barest minimum.

Oresanya, also urged residents in these communities to avoid the usage of boreholes and well water during this period, as they are sub­ject to contamination due to the ex­pected flooding and tidal variations.

He equally used the opportunity to call on fish farmers farming on flood plains of rivers and streams state­wide to harvest their fish to avert them being washed away by flood, while fish farmers at Eriwe, Yemule, both in Ijebu Ode, Ilase and Ayegba­mi in Yewa are equally advised to heed the advice without further delay.

While thanking residents of the state for their understanding on all environmental issues, espe­cially on its yearly flood alert, he lauded them for their cooperation with the State government in the last six years, which had reduced flooding and its impact greatly statewide, while pledging the State government’s commitment to con­tinually do the needful to make the State flood-free.