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 waterways and flood channels across Abuja.

The enforcement exercise began on Tuesday in Maitama, shortly after the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ordered the immediate removal of structures obstructing natural water passages in the capital.

Tractors were deployed to demolish some of the identified structures as officials from the FCT Department of Development Control began implementing the directive.

Wike gave the order after inspecting areas affected by recent flooding in Maitama District. He directed the Development Control Department to identify structures built on natural waterways and remove them without regard to the status of their owners.

The minister said properties belonging to politicians and other influential individuals would not be exempted from the exercise.

“I’m going to bring those structures down. Any house that fell on the water channel will go down,” Wike said.

He directed officials to commence enforcement immediately, warning against attempts to delay or avoid the demolition process.

According to the minister, the exercise would continue regardless of political considerations, including the approach of the 2027 general elections.

“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,” he said.

Wike said the recent flooding had exposed longstanding violations of Abuja’s master plan, particularly the construction of buildings along designated drainage routes.

He argued that the fact that some structures had previously survived without major incidents did not mean they were safe from future flooding.

The minister also ordered the immediate desilting of blocked drainage channels in affected areas as part of measures to reduce flood risks.

He announced that the FCT Administration would accelerate infrastructure projects, including the Lokogoma road project, to improve the capital’s resilience to flooding.

Wike attributed the flooding partly to climate change and heavy rainfall but identified illegal construction on waterways, weak enforcement of building regulations and indiscriminate waste disposal as major contributing factors.

He urged residents to support the government’s urban renewal efforts and properly dispose of waste to prevent drainage channels and manholes from becoming blocked.

The minister also denied allegations that the FCT Administration had allocated designated waterways for estate development.

Wike challenged those making such claims to provide specific evidence, insisting that the administration does not allocate water channels for construction.

He maintained that officials of the FCT Administration understand the city’s master plan and would enforce regulations to protect natural drainage routes.