The Lagos State Government has accused some individuals of deliberately circulating false flood images to discredit the state, warning that the spread of misinformation is politicising a serious environmental issue.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the allegation on Sunday in a post on his X account, where he urged bloggers, social media influencers and other stakeholders to verify information before publishing or sharing it.
According to Wahab, the government has observed a growing trend of people sharing photographs and videos of severe flooding from other states and countries while falsely claiming they depict incidents in Lagos.
He said such actions create a misleading narrative and undermine genuine efforts to address flooding and other environmental challenges confronting the state.
“We have watched with concern as some individuals have chosen to politicise the issue of flooding in Lagos by circulating misleading visuals from other states and countries that have experienced severe flooding, all in an attempt to advance a destructive narrative,” the commissioner stated.
Wahab maintained that the state government actively monitors reports of flooding and other environmental concerns across various media platforms and responds to verified complaints.
He, however, expressed concern that some online content creators deliberately publish inaccurate or misleading information to generate traffic and engagement without considering the impact on residents genuinely affected by flooding.
“However, it is deeply concerning that some bloggers and social media influencers deliberately disseminate false or misleading information solely to generate clicks and engagement, with little regard for the genuine concerns of residents and property owners whose cases deserve urgent attention and intervention,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that credible information remains essential for effective policy responses and long-term solutions to environmental challenges.
He appealed to residents and other stakeholders to engage constructively on issues affecting Lagos, noting that responsible public discourse would support government efforts to tackle flooding and protect communities.
While recognising citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of expression, Wahab said such rights should be exercised responsibly and within the limits of the law.
“We therefore urge everyone to exercise restraint, verify information before sharing it, and conduct public discourse with responsibility, civility, and respect for the collective interest of Lagos and its residents,” he added.
Wahab also singled out an X user identified as @Hhonor_, popularly known as Nedu, accusing the account of sharing a photograph of flooding in Accra, Ghana, while presenting it as a flood incident in Lagos.
According to the commissioner, the image was accompanied by the caption, “Tinubu built Lagos,” which he described as misleading.
“Using your handle to spread misinformation by sharing a photograph of the Accra flood and presenting it as an incident in Lagos is both disingenuous and misleading,” Wahab said.
He reiterated the government’s call for social media users and digital content creators to verify the authenticity of information before publishing it, warning that the spread of falsehoods only confuses the public and hampers efforts to address genuine environmental concerns.
