Nigeria, Nov. 5 -- A coalition of civil society organisations, community groups and trade unions has threatened mass action across Lagos if the state government attempts to seal residential boreholes or prosecute residents for extracting groundwater without authorisation.

The groups, under the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), said residents had been forced to depend on boreholes because the government had failed to provide adequate public water supply.

In a statement on Wednesday, the coalition asked the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) to clarify its position on domestic boreholes, following its warning that unauthorised drilling and groundwater extraction could lead to the sealing of facilities and pros...