FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has directed the immediate demolition of buildings blocking waterways in Maitama and other flood-prone areas of Abuja.
Speaking during an inspection tour on Tuesday, August 18, Wike said the exercise will run until Saturday and will not be paused for politics or the influence of property owners.
“Whether there’s election or there’s no election, all those houses will go down. Heaven will not fall,” he said. “Some of them are senators. Some of them are big men.”
The directive follows flash floods that hit parts of the capital after heavy rainfall. Wike said inspections showed that many of the affected structures were built directly on stormwater channels in the Abuja masterplan.
According to him, the problem is not new. “Those houses are not houses that were built last week. Those houses have been there 10 years ago, eight years ago,” he said. He added that most of the properties belong to wealthy Nigerians, not low-income residents.
Wike blamed both natural and human factors for the flooding. He cited climate change, the construction of buildings on water channels, blocked drainage, indiscriminate refuse dumping, and poor supervision of developments.
He also instructed relevant FCT agencies to begin immediate desilting of drainage systems across the city.
The minister pushed back against critics who linked the flooding to his administration. Responding to comments by FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe, Wike said flooding is not unique to Abuja and that his government should be judged on its overall record.
He pointed to the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy as an example, noting that 26,272 C-of-Os have been signed in the last three years, compared to about 7,000 signed by two previous administrations in 13 years.
“And let nobody make the mistake that this government lacks the political will to do anything,” Wike said. “If there is one minister that has that political will, I have.”
He urged residents, traders, and the public to stop dumping waste in drainage channels, warning that enforcement of planning laws will continue regardless of social status.
