Abuja flooding: Mass demolition begins after Wike’s order

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has commenced the demolition of houses and other structures built on designated water channels in Abuja.

The demolition exercise began on Tuesday in Maitama, shortly after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ordered the immediate removal of structures obstructing waterways in the capital.

Tractors were seen bringing down some of the affected structures as officials commenced enforcement of the directive.

Wike, after inspecting flood-affected areas in Maitama District, ordered the immediate demolition of all structures built on natural waterways and flood channels across the Federal Capital Territory.

He also directed the FCT Department of Development Control to identify and remove structures obstructing natural water passages, stressing that the exercise would not spare properties belonging to high-profile individuals.

“I’m going to bring those structures down. Any house that fell on the water channel will go down. From today till Saturday, if the development control likes to find any excuse to run away, they cannot.

“Thank God the Director Development Control is here because if you are running away to find excuses, you can’t. We will demolish all those houses found on the water channel,” the minister stated.

He said the demolition would be carried out without regard to the status or political affiliation of the owners of the affected properties.

“Any house that fell on the water channel will go down… We will demolish all those houses found on the water channel. Some of them are owned by senators and big men…

“Whether there is election or no election, all those houses will go down. Heaven will not fall; rather, heaven will be at peace that the right thing has been done,” the FCT minister added.

Wike said the administration was determined to address structural violations that had persisted in the FCT, adding that previous inaction would not prevent the government from taking corrective measures.

“Fortunately, we have gone there, and we have seen how people blocked water channels, where, in the master plan, water is supposed to be channelled, believing that nothing will happen.

“That nothing happened yesterday does not mean that something will not happen today or tomorrow. Thank God the flood has come; it has drawn our attention to the place, now something will happen,” the minister said.

He also announced plans to immediately desilt blocked drainages in affected districts as part of measures to mitigate flooding.

He said the FCT Administration would also accelerate key infrastructure projects, including the Lokogoma road project, to strengthen the capital’s resilience to flooding.

While attributing flooding partly to climate change and heavy rainfall, Wike identified illegal construction on drainage routes, poor enforcement of building regulations and indiscriminate waste disposal as major contributors to flooding in the FCT.

He urged residents to support the administration’s urban renewal efforts and dispose of waste properly to prevent the blockage of manholes and drainage channels.

Wike also denied allegations that the FCT Administration had allocated land on waterways for estate development.

“I don’t want to reply to political commentators. If that politician is bold enough, why not say it was allocated to Mr A, and it’s a water channel area and it’s now being used as an estate.

“You don’t just make blanket statements. You cannot determine which area is the water channel to the FCT. You don’t know the masterplan more than us. You just sit in your place and say this is a water channel.

“How can somebody allocate a water channel to somebody to build? You think that those who work in FCTA are morons and they don’t know what they are doing?

“So, I want to categorically deny the claim that this administration allocates water channels for people to develop,” the minister stated.