Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday inspected parts of Maitama affected by weekend flooding, during which officials identified a structure erected on a designated drainage area whose allocation had reportedly been revoked more than a decade ago.
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The inspection followed heavy rainfall on Saturday which caused flooding in parts of Abuja and renewed concerns over construction on waterways, blocked drainage channels, development on green areas and the capacity of existing infrastructure to cope with the rapid expansion of the capital.
Wike was accompanied by officials of the FCT Administration during the inspection of the affected areas.
Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, who shared footage of the exercise, said one of the locations visited by the minister was officially designated as a drainage area.
According to Olayinka, although the land had previously been allocated, the allocation was revoked in 2011 because of overriding public interest, yet a structure was subsequently erected on the site.
“FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, visited some of the flooded areas in Maitama, Abuja, this morning.
“The spot here is a Drainage Area. It was allocated, but REVOKED in 2011. Structure was built on it,” Olayinka wrote.
Footage from the inspection showed a sign at the location bearing the inscription: “DRAINAGE AREA KEEP OFF! NOTE – PLOT 4508 A06 REVOKED (22/12/2011) DUE TO OVERRIDING PUBLIC INTEREST. F.C.T.”
The discovery has added another dimension to the ongoing debate over factors contributing to flooding in Abuja, particularly the effect of buildings and other developments allegedly obstructing natural waterways and designated drainage corridors.
Following Saturday’s rainfall, residents and commentators had raised concerns about blocked drainage channels, construction on green areas and inadequate drainage infrastructure as possible factors worsening flooding in parts of the city.
The FCT Administration has, however, maintained that flooding in Abuja predates Wike’s tenure and that the government is taking measures to address both immediate and longstanding causes.
In a statement issued on Monday, Olayinka said the heavy rainfall resulted in temporary flooding in some locations before the water eventually receded.
He also criticised activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju for blaming Wike for the incident, accusing him of politicising a problem that had affected Abuja under previous administrations.
“Even though the FCT Administration under Nyesom Wike is mindful of this development and is taking steps to forestall future occurrence, it is funny that characters like this Online Baseless Lawyer who is always looking for attention has been shouting WIKE HAS DESTROYED ABUJA since yesterday, as if last Saturday was the first time some areas in Abuja got flooded,” Olayinka said.
He cited previous flooding incidents in the FCT, including those recorded in parts of Wuse, Jabi and Lokogoma in 2019, as well as Lokogoma, Efab Estate, Gudu and adjoining bridges in 2022.
According to the minister’s aide, some of Abuja’s flooding and drainage challenges are linked to the rapid physical expansion of the FCT, which he said had outpaced improvements in drainage infrastructure, waste management and enforcement of development-control regulations.
Olayinka also identified the removal of drainage covers by scavengers as another problem confronting the city.
He said the theft or removal of such covers exposes drainage channels and allows refuse and other materials to enter and obstruct the free flow of water.
According to him, the FCT Administration has begun installing new drainage covers designed to make them more difficult to remove.
He further disclosed that the administration is reviewing the 1979 Abuja Master Plan to accommodate present-day realities and address planning and infrastructure challenges arising from the city’s growth.
Tuesday’s inspection by Wike is therefore expected to form part of the FCT Administration’s assessment of the immediate causes of the latest flooding and the wider structural issues affecting drainage and development control in Abuja.
The discovery of a structure on a plot officially marked as a drainage area and reportedly revoked since December 2011 also raises questions about how construction was permitted on the site and whether similar developments exist along other drainage corridors in the capital.
The FCT Administration has said it is taking steps to prevent future occurrences, with attention expected to focus on enforcement of planning regulations, protection of drainage channels, improved waste management and removal of structures found to be obstructing designated waterways.
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