Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has issued a strong warning against illegal dredging, unregulated sand mining, and reckless land reclamation, declaring that such activities will no longer be tolerated as they endanger the state's coastal ecosystems and economic stability.

Sanwo-Olu delivered the message Thursday at the inaugural Lagos State Waterfront Summit, themed "Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience," held at Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island. The event gathered stakeholders from government, academia, the private sector, and waterfront communities to address the degradation of Lagos' marine assets, exacerbated by illegal operations and climate change, which have caused erosion, flooding, and community displacement.

"Let me be perfectly clear: those who profit from illegal dredging, reckless land reclamation, and environmental destruction are engineering their own downfall and jeopardizing the future for generations to come, and Lagos will no longer tolerate it," the governor stated, vowing full legal enforcement against violators. He highlighted recent visits to affected areas like Ibeshe, Ilashe, Inagbe, and the near-erased Idotun Village, where ocean encroachment has displaced residents, underscoring that over 80% of Lagos' shoreline has eroded in the past 50 years.

To combat the threats, Sanwo-Olu outlined plans to bolster the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, empower communities, and impose rigorous regulations. Commissioner Dayo Bush-Alebiosu echoed the urgency, calling the lagoon "a source of life, culture, economy, and identity" for millions, now imperiled by pollution, urbanization, illegal dredging, and depleted fish stocks that undermine food security and livelihoods. "If we continue down this path, we risk losing not only a vital ecosystem but also an irreplaceable economic asset," he warned, advocating for sustainable practices like aquaculture and eco-tourism.

Guest speaker Muiz Banire, former Environment Commissioner, stressed collective responsibility: "This is not the fight of government alone. This is the fight of us all." He urged lawmakers for enduring legislation, regulators for impartial enforcement, industries for sustainability, and citizens for vigilance, while criticizing federal misinterpretation of a Supreme Court ruling on waterfront ownership in the Lagos vs. NIWA case, clarifying it addressed operational jurisdiction, not land rights.