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Abuja Water Channels: Wike Vows ‘No One Will Be Spared’ in Demolition Operation
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate demolition of structures built on designated water channels across Abuja, declaring that no property owner, regardless of political status or influence, will be spared.
Wike, speaking against the backdrop of recent flooding in parts of the nation’s capital, said the demolition exercise would commence immediately and continue throughout the week.
He warned officials of the FCT Development Control Department against delaying the exercise or shielding influential property owners.
According to the minister, some of the affected buildings belong to serving senators and other prominent Nigerians.
“I am going to bring those houses down. Any house that is found on the channel—water channel will go down,” Wike said.
He also dismissed concerns that the demolitions could be viewed as politically motivated because of the approaching election season, insisting that enforcement of the FCT master plan would continue regardless of the political calendar.
“Whether there’s election or there’s no election, all those houses will go down,” he declared.
Wike said many of the structures had existed for several years and were not recently constructed, stressing that most were owned by wealthy Nigerians rather than ordinary residents.
The minister attributed the recent flooding in Abuja to a combination of heavy rainfall and human activities, including the blockage of waterways, construction on unsuitable land, failure to properly desilt drainage systems and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
He noted that climate change had contributed to unusually heavy rainfall but maintained that human actions had worsened the situation.
Wike also warned against the conversion of designated green areas into parks and other developments, saying longstanding informal claims to land would not be allowed to justify violations of the FCT’s planning regulations.
The minister further highlighted what he described as achievements recorded by his administration over the past three years, including the issuance of 26,000 Certificates of Occupancy, compared with 7,000 issued by two previous administrations over a combined 13-year period.
He accused some critics of exploiting the flooding situation for political purposes but said genuine concerns raised by residents would continue to receive the administration’s attention.
Wike maintained that he would not be intimidated by accusations of political victimisation, insisting that the demolition of structures obstructing water channels was necessary to address flooding and enforce the FCT master plan.
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