Abuja Drowns: Unrelenting Floods Submerge Homes, Elite Properties Amidst Billions in Unseen Ecology Funds

Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has urgently called upon President Bola Tinubu to intervene in Abuja's escalating flooding crisis, warning that the continuous distortion of the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) Master Plan poses a severe threat to Nigeria’s capital. This appeal follows recent flooding across several parts of Abuja, which submerged homes and rendered major roads impassable. Adeyanju emphasized that these floods can no longer be dismissed as merely consequences of heavy rainfall, noting that areas historically experiencing little or no flooding are now increasingly vulnerable.

Abuja was originally conceived and planned as a modern capital city, with designated green areas, parks, gardens, recreational spaces, drainage corridors, canals, and waterways as integral components of its Master Plan. These spaces were designed not merely for aesthetic purposes but to serve critical environmental functions, including flood control and the preservation of the city's ecological balance. However, Adeyanju highlighted that these vital planning principles are now under serious threat, as these green areas, parks, gardens, drainage corridors, canals, and waterways are increasingly being converted or allocated for residential and other forms of development, deviating significantly from the city’s foundational blueprint.

The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has itself identified numerous communities across the FCT as flood-prone areas, underscoring the gravity of the situation. These include Lokogoma/EFAB/iPent Estates, Galadimawa, Dogon-Gada, Lugbe, Maitama, Wuse, Garki, the Central Business District (CBD), Asokoro, Guzape, Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Kubwa, Wari, Gwagwalada, Damagaza, Mabushi, Anthony Ikem Street, the Blue Cabana axis, Kuje, Kwali, Abaji, and Yangoji, among several others. Adeyanju argued that Abuja should not be a city where ordinary rainfall can suddenly transform major residential and commercial districts into flood zones, causing widespread disruption.

Specific instances illustrating the distortion of Abuja’s original planning framework were cited by Adeyanju. These include the green area opposite Blake’s in Area 11; the green area around Rita Lori Hotel, where housing for magistrates was allegedly developed; the green area around MTN in Maitama; and the green area around the old Customs Office in Wuse Zone 3. Furthermore, serious allegations have emerged regarding a major canal in the Maitama area that was reportedly covered to facilitate residential construction. This development is allegedly linked to Senator Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, with residents reporting the construction of as many as 14 duplexes on the former canal and green area. This obstruction, residents stated, is a direct cause of severe flooding in the Maitama Extension, affecting properties including the residences of high-profile individuals like Kano State Deputy Governor, Murtala Garo, and former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Ehigiator Arase. Critics have also accused the FCT administration, under Minister Nyesom Wike, of allowing drainage channels, canals, and waterways in Abuja to be altered or covered for the benefit of politically connected individuals, facilitating the construction of estates and other developments on critical infrastructure.

Adeyanju stressed that previous administrations and former FCT Ministers who resisted the temptation to convert every available parcel of land into a development opportunity understood the crucial importance of preserving environmentally sensitive areas. They recognized that a city must retain spaces that may appear economically unproductive in the short term but are indispensable for its long-term survival. He warned that continued encroachment on these critical green spaces, drainage corridors, canals, and waterways could eventually lead to severe flooding impacting even the most important parts of the capital, including areas surrounding Aso Rock, the seat of government.

Adding to the complexity of the environmental crisis is the financial context. Between July 2025 and June 2026, the FCT Administration received a total of N227.4 billion in federal allocations, averaging about N18.95 billion monthly. During the same period, the six Area Councils—Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali—received at least N766.3 million from the Ecology Fund, which is specifically relevant for environmental challenges. Despite these substantial financial resources disbursed, including funds for ecological interventions, flooding continues to affect numerous districts across the capital, such as Wuse, Gudu, Gaduwa, Durumi, Lokogoma, Lugbe, Nyanya, Gwarimpa, Asokoro, Maitama, Utako, and Wuye. This situation raises significant questions regarding the expenditure of these funds, the effectiveness of infrastructure maintenance, and the overall urban development strategies aimed at flood control.

Given that Abuja hosts the Presidency, the National Assembly, the judiciary, foreign embassies, international organizations, diplomats, and millions of Nigerians, the deteriorating environmental condition of the city has implications far beyond its immediate residents. Adeyanju's appeal to President Tinubu is therefore to direct an urgent and comprehensive review of all land allocations and developments within designated green areas, parks, gardens, drainage corridors, canals, and waterways across the FCT to safeguard the capital’s environmental integrity and future.