Minister of the federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has vowed to enforce the Abuja city master plan, warning that structures blocking water channels and green areas, including highbrow estates and properties belonging to senators, will be demolished.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike
Wike spoke during an inspection tour of flood-hit areas across the FCT, dismissing recent criticism over the administration’s handling of flooding in the capital.
He said opposition figures seeking political mileage from the flooding were on a “futile journey,” insisting Nigerians were aware of the administration’s achievements in the territory over the past three years, including the issuance of 26,000 certificates of occupancy, compared to 7,000 issued by two previous administrations over 13 years.
The minister attributed recurring flash floods largely to human factors, including illegal construction on drainage paths, building on undesignated land, poor desilting of drains by government officials, and indiscriminate waste disposal.
He said these had compounded the effects of climate change, noting that many of the affected structures were built up to a decade ago under previous administrations that lacked the political will to act.
Wike said the encroachments were largely the work of wealthy Nigerians, and vowed that demolitions would begin immediately, regardless of the political standing of those affected.
“I’m going to bring those houses down. Any house found on the water channel will go down,” he said, adding that some of the affected properties belonged to senators. He said he would not be deterred by suggestions that the timing of the exercise, ahead of elections, was politically motivated.
The minister also condemned the conversion of designated green areas into commercial parks, rejecting claims by some occupants that historical land allocations exempted them from enforcement.
He listed Lokogoma and the Yakubu Gowon Crescent axis in Asokoro among flood-prone corridors earmarked for desilting and infrastructural intervention, urging residents to support the administration’s efforts through responsible waste disposal.
Wike denied allegations that the FCT Administration had allocated waterways to politicians for estate development, describing the claims as false and challenging critics to provide evidence naming specific individuals and locations.
“You cannot determine which area is a water channel to FCT. You don’t know the master plan more than us,” he said, maintaining that the enforcement exercise was not targeted at political opponents.
