Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has accused critics of politicizing recent flooding in the state, insisting that ongoing interventions on drainage channels, wetlands and floodplains have significantly reduced the impact of heavy rainfall despite the effects of climate change. Wahab made the remarks Saturday during an inspection of drainage channels and flood-prone areas including Oniru, Chevron Drive, Agungi-Ajiran, Freedom Road and Orange Island, days after flash floods triggered by persistent rainfall submerged parts of the state and drew sharp public criticism of the government's flood management efforts. The commissioner said his team had already begun seeing improvements after clearing encroachments along drainage channels near Chevron Drive and Gravitas, describing how officials had faced resistance β€” including armed police brought in by land grabbers, or "omo-onile" β€” before ultimately reopening a channel back to the lagoon. "Within 72 hours, we have seen a remarkable improvement in the discharging point of the downstream to salvage what is happening in the Ajiran village and neighbouring places," he said. Addressing the backlash, Wahab pushed back firmly against critics. "Yes, they are politicising it, but that is what they want to do this season. They are not giving this team enough flowers for the work they have been doing," he said, pointing to measures introduced over the past three years, including bans on Styrofoam and certain plastics, removal of floodplain contraventions, wetland restoration and expanded drainage infrastructure. He argued the government's proactive approach compares favorably to other cities, noting that steps Lagos took years ago are only now being adopted in Accra following recent flooding there. He characterized the recent incidents as flash flooding rather than a systemic failure, saying, "What we have is not overflowing flooding; it is flash flooding here and there. Time-stamp it and go back there in a few hours." Wahab also warned against illegal land reclamation projects that obstruct natural discharge points into the lagoon, revisiting a site where such a project had previously been halted for lacking environmental and drainage clearance. "If you reclaim it and we look the other way, that is the height of being irresponsible," he said. He added that the state is collaborating with local government councils on infrastructure projects beyond their financial capacity and plans to deploy 140 to 150 additional waste compactors to ease pressure on drainage systems. The commissioner's comments follow days of visible public frustration, with residents across Gbagada, Lekki, Ikeja, Mushin and other neighborhoods sharing videos of submerged roads, stranded commuters and flooded homes, and accusing officials of reactive rather than preventive measures. Some critics have also linked the flooding to extensive land reclamation and sand-filling along the coastline, an explanation Wahab has previously disputed, attributing much of the flooding instead to poor waste disposal and blocked drainage channels.