Abuja's Flood Fury: Wike Unleashes Demolition Threat on 'Big Men' as Critics Mount

Heavy rainfall in Abuja over the weekend led to unprecedented flooding, submerging numerous vehicles and cutting off several roads. This crisis immediately ignited a fierce debate, with activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju vehemently blaming the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. Adeyanju accused Wike of greed and lunacy, alleging that the allocation of canals and waterways for building estates was directly responsible for the extensive damage, proclaiming that "Wike has destroyed Abuja. The town is stinking and flooded."

In response, Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for Minister Wike, countered Adeyanju's allegations in a statement titled “Deji Adeyanju and his Gang of Flooded Brains.” Olayinka argued that flooding in Abuja predates Wike's tenure as FCT Minister, questioning whether Wike could be held responsible for floods reported as far back as 2019. He described Adeyanju as an "Online Baseless Lawyer" seeking attention, and stated that while the heavy rainfall caused temporary flooding in some areas, the water later receded, and the FCT Administration was actively taking steps to prevent future occurrences.

However, Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the FCT, corroborated some of the criticisms, asserting that Minister Wike had ignored her repeated concerns about flooding and blocked drainage channels since December and even a year prior. Appearing on Arise Television, Senator Kingibe attributed the worsening flood risk to developments approved under the current FCT administration, which she claimed were encroaching on Abuja’s green areas, gullies, flood channels, and floodplains. She cited instances of houses being built directly within flood channels in areas like Lugbe, suggesting that approvals for such constructions must have been given.

Senator Kingibe further stated that she had written to the Development Control, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to identify the causes of flooding and propose measures, but alleged that Wike consistently failed to respond to her correspondence. She expressed frustration that her efforts to cooperate by being less publicly critical of the minister had not yielded results. The senator emphasized that her criticism was not personal but a fundamental part of her responsibility to her constituents, whose lives were negatively impacted, and called for the Senate Committee on the FCT to exercise robust oversight over relevant agencies. She also advocated for the clearing of rubbish and drains to prevent blockages during heavy rainfall.

Amidst the escalating criticism and renewed concerns, Minister Nyesom Wike announced decisive action, ordering the immediate demolition of all buildings obstructing waterways and drainage channels across Abuja. The exercise, he declared, would commence immediately and continue through Saturday. Following an inspection of flood-affected areas, Wike stated that the government had identified numerous structures built on designated water channels, warning that their owners would face enforcement regardless of their social status, political influence, or whether they were "senators" or "big men."

Wike adamantly rejected any possibility of excuses halting the demolitions, emphasizing the FCT Administration’s unwavering commitment to enforcing the Abuja Master Plan. He conceded that climate change and unusually heavy rainfall contributed to the flooding but vehemently stressed the significant role of "man-made factors," including construction on waterways, blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and inadequate maintenance of drainage infrastructure. He further directed relevant FCT authorities to begin immediate desilting of identified drainage systems and urged residents and traders to cease dumping waste into waterways.

Anticipating potential political backlash, especially with elections approaching, Wike remained resolute, declaring, “The next thing you will see, campaign now, who, why is he doing this during the period of election? That is the next campaign you will see now.” However, he insisted that the planned demolitions would proceed irrespective of the political season, stating, “When there is an election, there is no election, all those houses will go down. Heaven will not fall, and heaven will be at peace, that the right thing has been done.”