Flooded Abuja Mansions Raise Questions Over Green Areas

Several mansions in Maitama Extension in Abuja were submerged by flood over the weekend due to what residents described as indiscriminate construction along waterways, as well as blocked drainage channels in the area.

Daily Trust gathered that many properties, including those of Kano State Deputy Governor, Murtala Garo, and former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, were flooded.

Sources told our correspondent that flooding worsened in the area after a major canal was covered to make way for the construction of buildings linked to a senator. The buildings were said to have been constructed on a green area and the canal corridor.

Daily Trust had reported that a heavy downpour in Abuja on Saturday flooded several parts of the FCT, disrupting vehicular movement, trapping motorists and forcing some businesses to temporarily shut as water overwhelmed roads and drainage channels.

Among the worst-affected areas were Wuse 1 and Wuse 2 in the city centre, as well as parts of Durumi, Gaduwa and Gudu districts. Motorists were stranded on flooded roads, while residential and business properties were also affected.

Residents said many vehicles stranded on the roads remained there for hours after the rainfall, with some developing mechanical faults.

It was learnt that the rainfall also caused flooding in parts of Maitama Extension, forcing the management of one of the estates in the area to invite some engineers to drain the floodwaters.

He said houses located close to the estate gate were mostly affected because they were situated at lower elevations, including the residence of the late former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase.

When our correspondent visited the area last night, the floodwaters had receded, although signs of the incident were still visible.

Another resident, Musa Usman, attributed the flooding to what he described as indiscriminate construction along waterways, as well as blocked drainage chambers and channels in the area.

Our correspondent also learnt that a bridge close to the estate was submerged during the downpour, with the floodwaters reportedly receding into a nearby pond and gully by Sunday.

Meanwhile, a resident of downtown Maitama, Shamsudeen Karaye, said the heavy rainfall also caused flooding on some streets in the area.

Karaye said motorists had to switch from smaller vehicles to SUVs to navigate the flooded streets.

“When the rain started, and we realised it was a heavy downpour, some streets had already started flooding, so we had to avoid using a Honda Accord and switch to a Jeep to prevent getting trapped,” he said.

Our correspondent also learnt that a large building under construction a few metres from Golfview Estate was allegedly located on a waterway.

Some residents expressed concern over what they described as the continued conversion of green areas and waterways for construction, while blocked drainage channels and waste accumulation were also blamed for worsening flooding in the area.

A source familiar with the incident said, “I have just discovered that about 20 duplexes are being constructed on a designated green area in Maitama Extension. Even more alarming is the fact that the developers have now realised there is no access road to the estate and have resorted to converting a canal into a road.

“One can only imagine the environmental disaster and severe flooding that Maitama Extension will face during the rainy season. How do you fence off a green area and then proceed to turn a natural water channel into a road, all in the name of greed?

This is a blatant distortion of the Abuja Master Plan, and it raises serious questions about how Development Control could have approved such a project in the first place.”

Group seeks review of structures on waterways, green areas

The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called for urgent action to address recurring flooding in Abuja, warning that the problem should no longer be treated simply as an inevitable consequence of heavy rainfall.

Executive Director of HDAN, Barr. Festus Adebayo, while speaking on the development, said the recent flooding across parts of the Federal Capital Territory should serve as another warning about the consequences of rapid urban development without adequate attention to drainage, natural waterways, green areas and the carrying capacity of existing infrastructure.

He said properties in Maitama and Wuse districts affected by the flooding cost billions of naira, although it is difficult to quantify the exact value.

“The major parts of Abuja affected are high-brow areas of Maitama and Wuse where you have luxurious properties costing billions, yet it is now submerged by flooding. This is just a result of violations of proper urban planning, which must be addressed head-on.

“The fundamental question is simple: when natural waterways are obstructed, green areas are converted to developments, drainage channels are blocked and increasing portions of the city are covered with concrete, where is the rainwater expected to go?

“Abuja was conceived as a carefully planned city. Its continued expansion must therefore respect the principles of the Abuja Master Plan and recognise that waterways, floodplains, drainage corridors and green areas are essential components of the city’s infrastructure.

“HDAN believes there is an urgent need for the Federal Capital Territory Administration to undertake a comprehensive audit of developments around waterways, drainage corridors, flood-prone areas and designated green spaces.

“This should include investigating how approvals were granted for developments that may have obstructed natural water channels or substantially altered drainage patterns.

“Flood prevention cannot be achieved only by clearing drains after heavy rainfall. Abuja requires a comprehensive stormwater management strategy that combines proper urban planning, effective development control, drainage expansion and maintenance, environmental protection and enforcement,” he said.

Speaking further, he noted that “As Abuja’s population and built-up areas continue to expand, drainage infrastructure must also be upgraded to accommodate increased surface runoff. Infrastructure designed for yesterday’s city may not necessarily be adequate for the Abuja of today and tomorrow.”

HDAN therefore called for: “Strict protection of natural waterways and floodplains, with zero tolerance for developments that obstruct critical water channels.

“Also, there should be protection and restoration of designated green areas, which play an important role in absorbing rainfall and reducing surface runoff and Regular desilting and maintenance of drains before and throughout the rainy season, rather than waiting until flooding occurs.

“There should also be investigation of questionable development approvals affecting waterways, drainage corridors and green areas and also stricter action against indiscriminate waste disposal, which contributes to blocked drainage systems.(Daily trust)