Roads, schools, houses flooded as rain pounds FCT

Roads and streets were flooded on Thursday following a downpour in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Parts of the Airport Road, Kubwa Expressway, and other areas were inaccessible during the rain which lasted for over four hours.

The flood also caused gridlock in Wuse, Jabi, and other commercial areas in the city as major roads were taken over by the flood.

Residents of Lokogoma District had tales of woes to tell as many buildings in the area were flooded.

A resident of Jubilation Estate, Clement Joseph, said over 10 houses were flooded, adding that the situation was beyond the control of the inhabitants.

He added, “This is the mother of all flooding; it affected 10 houses and a school on Jubilee Estate, Britmas School, were all flooded. In fact, the road to some estates in the district has been cut off and the residents can only access their homes by going through Apo.”

Another resident, who simply identified himself as Mr Mayowa, said the flood sacked many homes, adding that drastic measures should be taken by the Federal Capital Territory Administration to address the problem.

Findings indicate that a large part of the waterways in the FCT are yet to be cleared of the illegal structures.

The Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Development Authority, had earlier announced plans to demolish over 120 residential buildings built on the waterways in the district.

But this had not been done weeks after the Development Control Director, Muktar Galadimma, led officials to the areas during which the illegal structures were marked for demolition.

Galadimma could not be reached for comment as calls to his phone rang out. He had yet to respond to a text message on the issue.

When contacted, the FCT Administration spokesman, Anthony Ogunleye, said he would need to hear from the development control department before he could comment on the flooding.