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Many roads in Abuja, the nation’s capital, were flooded following a heavy downpour in the early hours of yesterday. Areas affected included Asokoro, Guzape, Jabi, Kado and Wuse.
Also, over 1,000 residents have been displaced and houses destroyed following devastating floods that swept through several communities in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State.
In Abuja, many motorists, who spoke to Daily Trust, said they could access major roads in Abuja’s Asokoro and Guzape districts during the heavy downpour.
A video shared on Facebook by one Prince Adebisi Adetunji showed torrents of water covering parts of the road in Asokoro, leaving motorists and residents struggling to navigate the area.
The flood disrupted movement, with vehicles seen wading through deep waters.
Residents allege poor drainage
Residents in the area said the poor drainage system worsened the situation.
A motorist, Musa Ibrahim, told our reporter that many roads in the two districts were difficult to navigate, causing traffic jams.
Another driver, Emmanuel Peter, said he and others had to wait for a while before they could find a safer road the area.
“The FCT Administration needs to find a solution to the poor drainage system in the nation’s capital,” Peter said.
According to him, the issue is not limited to Asokoro or Guzape, but occurs in virtually all districts when it rains heavily.
“This also happens in Jabi, Wuse, and even the Central Business District every year.
“Something needs to be done by those managing the city to address the drainage issue,” he added.
A section of the Obafemi Awolowo Way in Jabi District was also flooded during the downpour.
Many motorists were seen navigating through the flooded section of the road.
Alhaji Nuhu Ademola said his car was stuck in the water at a junction close to Jabi Motor Park.
According to him, he spent close to 30 minutes before the water receded and was able to move out of his car.
Alhaji Ademola called on the FCT Administration to find a lasting solution to the poor drainage system within the nation’s capital.
‘’Of course, we don’t need to be telling them as they can also see it. How do you expect the nation’s capital to be built with a careful and well-planned drainage system,’’ he asked.
Another motorist, who also got stuck at the junction, Madam Evelyn Danjuma, said she had to park by the road side after seeing the volume of water on the main road.
She also attributed the incident to the poor drainage system and called on authorities to find ways of addressing the annual occurrence.
Mallam Awalu Dahiru, a driver who plies Kado to Airport Junction, said the road from the Kado roundabout was flooded during the road.
According to him, many vehicles were stuck under the bridge shortly after the roundabout at Kado.
‘’This happens on this road after every rain. We have been appealing to the FCT Administration to do something about this but nothing is being done,’’ he said.
Our correspondent reports that there was a similar flash flood at the Life Camp area of Abuja as well as at Wuse District.
Town planners speak
An Abuja-based town planner, Lami Ayuba, attributed the flash flood being experienced on major roads in Abuja to both natural and human factors.
She said towards the end of every rainy season, the intensity of the rain is so high that it is difficult for the ground to drain it, causing the water to overflow the drainages.
She also noted that improper waste disposal often leads to blockage of drainages.
She advised relevant FCT agencies responsible to waste evacuation to be alive to their responsibilities by promptly evacuating them.
She also called on such agencies to always ensure constant clearance of the drainages within the city centre.
She advocated deliberate sensitization programmes for residents on waste disposal.
This, she said, should be done alongside providing alternatives for disposing of their refuse.
Another town planner, Adeyemi Iyanda, also attributed the flash flood on major roads in Abuja to infractions to the masterplan of the city.
He cited illegal construction of structures on waterways, calling for immediate action from the FCT Development Control Department.
He also blamed residents for indiscriminate dumping of refuse on drainages.
He asked regulatory bodies to ensure that building laws are strictly adhered to.
He said people are now building on the waterways, leading to overflow whenever it rains.
According to him, the Development Control Department of the FCTA must intensify the monitoring and enforcement functions to check illegal buildings, especially those in flood prone areas.
The town planner also suggested regular clearing of debris from drains and ditches as well as cleaning downspouts and the gutters.
He charged the FCT Administration to educate the citizens on the need to stop indiscriminate buildings and refuse dumping on waterways.
FCTA removes structures on waterways
An official of the FCT Department of Development Control, who spoke to our reporter yesterday, said the FCT Administration had set up a special taskforce to clear illegal structures, especially those on waterways and in flood-prone areas.
According to the official, who craved anonymity, the Director of the Development Control Department, Muktar Galadima, is leading the taskforce.
He said the task force, which started removing some of those structures in Garki, Durumi and Wuse districts of the city.
He said the flash flood in the city could not be immediately or entirely stopped because of the long-time infractions to the masterplan.
He, however, noted that efforts would be made to address the situation.
A staff member of the FCT Emergency Management Department, who also wished to remain anonymous, said that aside from the poor drainage system, some residents also contribute to the problem.
1,000 people displaced, houses destroyed in Katsina
In Katsina, a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday has displaced over 1,000 people in Kankia Local Government Area, after the Kankia dam overflowed, destroying hundreds of houses.
Residents said the disaster, worsened by the dam’s poor state, reduced many homes to rubble. Some victims now squat with relatives, while others remain stranded.
Though no lives were lost, families were seen salvaging belongings and moving to safer areas.
One victim, Adahama Rabe of Kofar Yamma, said her house collapsed with over 20 people inside.
She appealed for urgent government intervention, stressing that dredging the dam would solve much of the problem.
The Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) pledged immediate support, including temporary resettlement and relief materials. Its Executive Secretary, Binta Dangani, urged residents to clear waterways and heed environmental warnings to avert future disasters.
The flood also submerged the 40-year-old JIBWIS Mosque in Layi quarters, forcing worshippers to relocate Friday prayers to an alternative mosque.
Similar flooding was reported in Shinkafi, Unguwar Alkali, Makudawa and parts of Kwado, where many residents lost homes and livelihoods, prompting calls for urgent government support.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Kaduna Operations Office, in collaboration with the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Nigeria Red Cross, has launched a joint flood assessment to determine the full scale of the damage in Kankia LGA.
In a statement on Thursday, NEMA said many of the displaced residents have taken shelter at Tashan Lado Primary School near the Kankia Local Government Council Secretariat, with about 200 people currently living in a camp, temporarily provided by concerned authorities.
The statement also said the assessment team observed that hundreds of houses in the Sabon Duniya community were destroyed, with some completely collapsed, leaving many residents homeless.
“The assessment team is facing challenges accessing some severely affected communities as a result of an early-morning rainfall in the area, hindering efforts to determine the full extent of the damage.
“However, NEMA, SEMA, the Red Cross and delegated community elders are working round the clock to provide support for a hitch-free assessment of the incident. “Meanwhile, evacuations are ongoing, with many people already rescued and provided with temporary shelter,” the statement added.
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