Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate demolition of all structures constructed on waterways and flood channels across the FCT, saying exceptions would not be made for high-profile individuals.
He issued the directive yesterday during an assessment visit to flood-affected areas of Maitama District.
Wike vowed that the administration would not tolerate actions that violated the Abuja Master Plan and the safety of residents, notwithstanding the status of the property owners involved.
He directed the FCT Department of Development Control to identify and dismantle all illegal structures obstructing natural water passages without delay.
Wike said: “I’m going to bring those structures down. Any house that falls on the water channel will go down. From today till Saturday, if the development control likes it, let them find any excuse to run away; they cannot. Thank God the Director of 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.
“Any house that falls 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.”
He reasserted the desire of the FCTA to correct long-standing structural violations, noting that previous inaction by past administrations would not prevent necessary corrective actions.
“Fortunately, we have gone there, and we have seen how people blocked water channels, where, in the master plan, water is supposed to be channeled, 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, so now something will happen,” he said.
The minister added that the FCTA was also initiating immediate facility management operations to desilt blocked drainages in affected districts as well as advance key infrastructure projects, such as the Lokogoma road project, to improve flood resilience.
He attributed key man-made factors, including illegal construction on drainage routes, failure of officials to enforce building codes, and improper waste disposal blocking manholes and drainages, as factors driving localized flooding.
The minister, who urged residents and stakeholders to exercise civic responsibility and adopt proper waste disposal habits to maintain clean, safe, and functioning drainage systems across the FCT, also debunked allegations that the administration allocated land on water channels for estate developments.
He challenged anyone making such claims to provide concrete evidence.
“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 on it? 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,” Wike stated.