The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the demolition of houses built on designated water channels in Abuja, warning that structures obstructing waterways will be removed.
Wike gave the order on Tuesday during a press briefing at his office after inspecting areas affected by the heavy flooding witnessed across the FCT iover the weekend.
The Minister said his inspection showed that some property owners had blocked channels designated for water flow under the Abuja Master Plan.
“And certainly, we have gone there, and we have seen how people have blocked channels where in the master plan, that is the right way where a channel is supposed to be. People, by their positions, have blocked it, believing that nothing will happen,” he said
Wike said the recent flooding had exposed the consequences of blocking waterways, adding that the affected structures would be demolished.
“I have told people this in life: that nothing happened yesterday does not mean that something will not happen today. That it did not happen today does not mean that it will not happen tomorrow.
Now you have done your own by blocking the water channel, and nothing has happened. Thank God the flood has come; it has drawn our attention to the place. Now, something will happen. I am going to bring those houses down. Any house that falls on the water channel will go down.”
The minister gave the FCT Development Control Department until Saturday to act against structures found on waterways.
“From today to Saturday, if Development Control likes, let them find any excuses. If they like, let them find excuses—too bad. They can’t. We will demolish all those houses found on the water channel,” he said.
Wike said the demolition would not be affected by the status of the owners of the properties, including politicians.
“Some of them are Senators, some of them are big men. The next thing you’ll see is campaigns now: ‘Oh, why is he doing this during the election?’ That is the next campaign you will see now. Stop it! We have finished elections. Where is the election? There is no election. All those houses will go down.
Heaven will not fall; rather, heaven will fall if the right thing has not been done.”
