Flooding triggered by recent heavy rainfall has begun to disrupt academic activities in Ijora Badia, Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State, following a canal blockage reportedly linked to an ongoing construction project by a pharmaceutical company.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the persistent flooding, which residents linked to the company's sand-filling activities, has submerged parts of Ajeromi Nursery and Primary School, forcing some pupils to stay at home.
During a visit to the area on Friday, our correspondent observed that floodwaters had taken over parts of the community, including the school premises, making movement difficult for residents and pupils.
Some parents who spoke with our correspondent lamented that their children could no longer access their classrooms.
A parent, Funke Edamisor, said the situation had made it impossible for children to attend school and called for urgent intervention.
She said, "The school is filled with floodwater, making it hard for people to move because of the project they are carrying out. It is bringing water into the area. We are begging them to help us fix this issue so that our children can go to school."
Our correspondent observed that pupils who managed to attend classes had to wade through floodwaters on the school premises before reaching their classrooms.
Another parent, Christian Francis, said his children had been out of school for days due to the situation.
He said, "My children are supposed to be in school, but the project they are carrying out there is disturbing us. There is too much water.
"The children have not been able to go to school for days because they are too young to pass through the water. We are pleading for help so our children can continue their education."
It was gathered that the number of pupils in the school had reduced in recent months, as some parents withdrew their children due to the flooding.
A parent said, "Some parents have withdrawn their children since water started entering the school premises, but not everyone can do that.
"It is affordable for me to keep my child in this school since it is closer to home. I am a single mother; taking my child to a distant school will cost me more."
Residents had earlier raised concerns that the construction project, located on a swampy expanse covering Badia East and West, had blocked a major canal after sand-filling activities redirected water into the community.
Community members alleged that the company failed to put in place proper drainage or protective structures before commencing the project, resulting in widespread flooding that has affected hundreds of homes and displaced several families.
They warned that the situation could worsen at the peak of the rainy season if urgent action is not taken to restore the canal and provide proper drainage channels.
PUNCH Metro reported in March that no fewer than 5,000 residents in the area were at risk of displacement due to flooding caused by the blocked canal.
The situation, which residents said began in September 2025, has worsened and forced some families to abandon their homes.
The Chairman of the Community Development Association in Badia, Raymond Tejujaiye, said the company began sand-filling the land last year and had gradually redirected mud from the swamp into the canal.
According to him, about 300 houses have been affected, with floodwaters already encroaching on several homes.
He warned that the situation could worsen with the onset of the rainy season, potentially forcing more residents to relocate.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Adekunle Adesina, said the office in charge of the situation would be notified.
"I am not aware of this, but I will notify the director in charge, and when he gives me a response, I will get back to you," he said.
He had yet to respond as of the time this report was filed.