Residents of the Trademore estate in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on Monday took to the streets to protest the planned demolition of buildings.
The Guardian reports that they carried placards with different messages, calling on the government to improve the waterways to tackle the persistent flooding in the area instead of demolishing buildings.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had last week declared the estate a disaster area in the wake of massive floodings on June 23, 2023, which left residents trapped and houses submerged.
Officials of the FCTA said that the buildings on the waterways in the estate and other areas in Abuja will be demolished.
The FCTA in a statement signed by its executive secretary, Shehu Ahmed on Sunday, said some structures are preventing water from flowing freely through its natural course, hence, the flooding in some parts of the city.
“People are clamoring that we act quickly and take tough decisions to save lives, and this is what we must do. We cannot act as though we don’t see this man-made problem caused by those who violate the Abuja master plan,” Ahmed said.
“Buildings in Trademore Estate had been severely marked for demolition. Warnings have been given year after year but the occupants of the estate keep risking their lives and those of others.
“By declaring Trademore a disaster zone, we have told the residents there to evacuate. The area is in a low-line zone which is not safe. Flooding can come at any time.
“They know this and have been experiencing it over the years,” the FCTA executive secretary stressed.
Ahmed who also doubles as the chairman of the special ministerial task force team on flood mitigation said a police station alongside other buildings will be demolished.
“We have the police station in Trademore that will be demolished. It will go alongside other buildings.
“We have engaged the FCT police command and have provided a suitable place for them to operate from and fight crime.”
According to Ahmed, the estate did not have FCDA approved building plan while adding that the area which has experienced repeated flooding can best be left as green areas and not residential.
He said further that the estate was just one of the areas in focus, noting that other areas in the FCT with structures built on flood plains would be demolished.
In its version titled “Flood: Residents Shut Trademore Estate, Protest Planned Demolition”, Channels TV reports that the permanent secretary of the FCTA, Olusade Adesola, declared the Trademore area a disaster zone that “needs immediate action to remedy further damages and loss of lives and properties”.
It reports that the residents on Monday shut gates in protest against the planned demolition of structures in the estate by the FCDA officials.
This came days after the estate was declared a disaster zone, in light of flash floods that submerged houses and vehicles in the estate about a week ago, a recurring situation at the peak of the rainy season annually.
A shower of rain which started around 9 am on June 23 resulted in a flash flood and traffic jam as residents were trapped in their houses.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said more than 116 houses were submerged at the estate following a heavy downpour.
Although no life was lost, the Chairman of the residents association, Mr. Adewale Adenaike, said the association was worried that the flash floods had become an annual occurrence within the estate.
The permanent secretary of the FCTA, Olusade Adesola, declared the Trademore area a disaster zone that “needs immediate action to remedy further damages and loss of lives and properties”.
