Lagos Government Threatens Lawsuit Over False Flood Video

The Lagos State Government has threatened legal action against a social media user accused of circulating a misleading flood video falsely claimed to have been recorded in Lagos.

The warning was issued by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who said the government had identified an X user allegedly responsible for posting footage from another location and portraying it as evidence of flooding in Lagos.

According to Wahab, the government has observed a growing trend of bloggers, influencers and political actors sharing old or foreign flood images and videos to create what he described as a “destructive narrative” about the state’s flood situation. He said the practice misleads the public and undermines efforts to address genuine environmental challenges.

The commissioner disclosed that the government had directed its legal team to begin the process of taking action against the user, stressing that the deliberate spread of false information would not be tolerated.

He also urged residents, bloggers and social media users to verify the authenticity of images and videos before sharing them online, warning that misinformation could create unnecessary panic and distort public perception.

The warning comes amid heavy rainfall and flooding recorded in parts of Lagos in recent weeks, with the state government maintaining that while flooding has occurred in some areas, several viral videos being circulated online were either outdated or originated from other states and countries.