By Osaretin Osadebamwen
Flooding in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is being driven largely by illegal structures built by wealthy Nigerians, Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike has said.
The Minister said many of the buildings obstructing waterways and drainage channels were erected by affluent residents, not poor communities, and have existed for years before the current administration.
Wike made the remarks during an inspection tour of flood‑affected areas in Abuja, stressing that politicising the issue without addressing its root causes would not solve the problem. He noted that critics often use flood incidents to attack the government, while ignoring the shared responsibility between authorities and residents.
The minister explained that tackling the flooding challenge requires confronting the real culprits and enforcing regulations against unlawful development. He insisted that government must act firmly to prevent further disasters, regardless of the social or economic status of those responsible.
Rejecting claims that poor residents were the main drivers of encroachment, Wike said evidence showed that wealthy individuals had played a significant role in blocking drainage systems. He argued that blaming only low‑income communities was misleading and unfair.
He added that both government agencies and residents must take responsibility, with authorities enforcing planning laws and citizens avoiding actions that compromise drainage systems.
Wike warned that unless the illegal structures are removed and regulations strictly enforced, flooding will persist, damaging property and disrupting lives across the FCT.
He emphasized that addressing the flooding problem requires transparency, accountability, and decisive action, not political point‑scoring.
By pointing to the role of wealthy Nigerians, Wike has reframed the flooding debate in the FCT, calling for a more honest conversation about responsibility and urging collective action to protect the city from recurring disasters.
