•Ongoing construction on green area in Wuse zone 6, Abuja
A week after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, directed the demolition of buildings obstructing green areas and waterways, many affected locations in Abuja remain uncleared.
Abuja has witnessed growing distortion of its master plan, a development residents and experts have linked to recent flooding that submerged homes and major roads in parts of the city, reports Daily Trust.
Among the affected areas are Maitama Extension, Wuse 1 and 2, Durumi, Gaduwa and Gudu districts.
Residents fear that uncontrolled construction could worsen flooding, increase environmental pressure and deprive them of recreational facilities.
Wike had directed the immediate demolition of structures obstructing designated waterways and green areas during a recent inspection of flood-prone locations in the capital.
However, findings showed that many such areas have continued to witness construction and conversion for residential and commercial purposes.
Residents said parks, green areas and undeveloped land serve functions beyond recreation. They absorb rainwater, support natural drainage, reduce heat and help preserve Abuja’s environmental character.
In Wuse Zone 6, residents complained about the transformation of a popular park and garden opposite Sky Memorial Junction as commercial development expanded.
In Durumi District, it was observed that two plots designated as green areas behind the old Federal Secretariat were gradually being developed.
One of the plots, formerly occupied by Spotlite Garden, had been used for events and other recreational activities. However, it was allocated to a real estate developer, with construction work already underway during the visit.
The operator of the garden, Chikezie Ugochukwu, said the facility was allocated to him about 15 years ago before another person appeared about three months ago with documents claiming ownership of the land.
He said the development was contrary to the purpose for which the area was reserved, describing it as a waterway and buffer zone that should remain open.
Ugochukwu said the green area provided residents with space for recreation and helped maintain a healthy environment.
He added that converting it to residential buildings could obstruct the flow of water and undermine Abuja’s status as a green city.
He said after receiving a notice to vacate the land, he visited the Department of Development Control and lodged a complaint but was yet to receive a response.
The second plot, located opposite the garden and sharing a fence with the old Federal Secretariat, is also a large undeveloped area.
A resident, Aliyu Musa, said two waterways passed through the land, one from the Garki axis and another from Area 1, before joining a stream towards the adjoining garden.
Across Nnamdi Azikiwe Road, at Area 3 Junction, another large green area formerly used for sporting activities has been fenced off, allegedly for development.
A resident, Jacob Foje, said sports enthusiasts from different parts of Abuja used to gather there for recreational activities.
He said the development had also affected sewage lines passing through the area.
Two other projects identified as car stands were also seen on opposite sides of the junction. While work on one was reportedly halted recently by the authorities, construction continued on the other.
In Guzape District, our correspondent found two plots opposite each other along Abdulrahman Okene Street that had been identified as green areas and previously used for sporting activities.
A resident, Obinna John, said the plots had been fenced and converted for residential development, denying residents access to the area for recreation.
In Wuse Zone 3, Abidjan Street, which hosts several gardens and recreational facilities, has also been affected.
A resident, Amos John, said gardeners who used the land to nurse and sell flowers were being evicted, while two plots had been allocated for property development.
Similarly, two locations opposite each other along the road leading to the Abuja National Mosque have witnessed development. The wetlands, previously used partly for banana farming, also serve as waterways.
During a visit, our correspondent observed construction work around the area, with a stream flowing underneath some bridges.
In Maitama, two green areas opposite each other along Ibrahim Babangida Boulevard, which had remained free from development for years, are also being altered.
One of the plots has been fenced with metal sheets, while construction work, including the building of a drainage channel, was ongoing. The work appeared to have narrowed a stream running through the area.
The stream on the opposite side was also being filled with large quantities of sand to level the land.
A gardener who worked in one of the areas said he had been evicted by the Department of Development Control in recent years.
He said Ibrahim Babangida Boulevard used to experience flooding whenever it rained.
“You can predict how it would get worse now that one of the streams has been filled with sand, while the other has been reduced to the level of a drainage channel,” he said.
Findings also found instances of development around water pipelines and designated buffer zones.
Residents said encroachment on such areas could affect drainage and water infrastructure, further exposing parts of the capital to flooding and other environmental risks.
Reserved land at Usuma Dam converted to business outlet
Also affected by the massive conversion of Abuja’s reserve lands is the Usuma Dam, the Federal Capital Territory’s major source of potable water, where the FCT Water Board operates about four phases of water treatment plants.
The facilities are expected to be expanded to 10 phases in the future to meet the growing water needs of Abuja and surrounding areas.
However, land reserved for the expansion has reportedly been encroached upon for commercial development.
The land, located near Ushafa Junction along the Dutse-Bwari highway, is witnessing a major construction project after being levelled and fenced.
A retired engineer with the FCT Water Board, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that continued encroachment could negatively affect the dam’s operations, particularly the planned expansion of the water treatment facilities.
He said the reserved lands around Usuma Dam were of greater strategic importance to Abuja than prime districts such as Maitama and Asokoro because the area was specifically suited for water treatment and distribution infrastructure.
According to him, the Abuja master plan designated the Usuma Dam axis for water treatment facilities from phases one to 10, designed to serve the capital and surrounding area councils.
He said any development on the reserved land violated the Abuja master plan and should not qualify for compensation.
Despite the demolition of some structures built around the Usuma Dam buffer zone by the past FCT administration in 2021, fresh encroachment has occurred, with farmhouses and a hotel reportedly constructed in the area.
Experts have warned that such developments could increase the risk of water contamination and soil erosion.
Halt development of green areas – Wuse residents
At Wuse Zone 6, residents are counting their losses following devastating flooding, which they attributed to the conversion of designated green areas into residential developments.
The community, which had earlier protested against encroachment on green areas, is now facing what residents described as the consequences of blocked waterways and clogged drainage systems.
Ayinde Soaga, Chairman of Wuse Zone 6, said the community had for years protested against what he described as the unauthorised development of green spaces.
He said the land was originally designated as a green area in the Abuja master plan and was meant to serve as a buffer zone for absorbing floodwater.
“That place is to take water from storms so that storms will not trouble residents. But the place is not required to be a housing estate, which is against the map,” he said.
Soaga said the community had raised the issue before the flooding became severe, including taking its concerns to the media.
He urged the government to halt what he described as the haphazard conversion of green areas into residential neighbourhoods.
Park official blames drainage neglect
Olu Odumosu, who manages a park in Wuse Zone 6, identified poor drainage maintenance as another major factor worsening the flooding.
“If they can clean the drainage, that is the important thing for us in this area,” Odumosu said.
He pointed to traders whose goods were damaged by floodwater, saying water now flowed along the main road instead of passing through the drainage system.
George Aminu, a provision seller in the area, also blamed the clogged drainage for the losses suffered by traders.
More green areas converted
In Guzape, a 3.4-hectare U-shaped plot along Abdulrahman Okene Street, originally allocated as a park and recreational area, has also been converted for residential development.
In the Central Business District, several areas reserved for conservation, parks and waterways have similarly been converted to other uses.
Residents around City Park also expressed concern over increasing development around parks and adjoining green areas, warning that the trend could gradually alter their environmental value.
Henry, a resident of the area, said authorities should clearly identify and protect areas meant to remain undeveloped.
Another resident, Esther John, warned that continued construction on open land could worsen flooding because concrete surfaces reduce the amount of rainwater that can soak into the ground.
“During heavy rain, water needs somewhere to go. If you cover every available space with buildings and concrete, the water will move towards roads and residential areas,” she said.
Gabriel, who works around City Park, called for regular monitoring of parks and other environmentally sensitive areas.
He said vacant land should not automatically be regarded as available for development without first confirming its approved use under the Abuja master plan.
Residents also called for greater transparency in the allocation and reassignment of land originally reserved for parks, conservation and other public purposes.
They said the public should be informed whenever the approved use of environmentally sensitive land is changed.
Around the National Mosque axis, residents also raised concerns about construction close to green areas and locations they said play important drainage and flood-control roles.
Kabiru Yusuf, an Abuja resident, urged authorities to consider the environmental implications of construction, particularly in flood-prone areas.
“The issue is not that people should not build. The question is where they are building and whether the land is suitable for that purpose,” he said.
Fatima Ibrahim, another resident, said the impact of flooding was becoming more noticeable during heavy rainfall and urged authorities to protect natural water channels.
“When the rain comes heavily, you see water looking for a way to pass. If the natural channels are blocked, the water will eventually move into roads and other areas,” she said.
Daniel Okoro, who works around the National Mosque axis, called for proper physical planning and environmental assessments before approving developments in environmentally sensitive locations.
“We have seen what flooding can do in different parts of Abuja. Prevention is better than waiting for people to lose their homes, businesses or vehicles before acting,” he said.
The concerns over Abuja’s disappearing green spaces come against the backdrop of recurring flooding in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during periods of heavy rainfall.
A few days ago, heavy rains affected some parts of the territory, flooding roads and disrupting movement in some areas.
Although flooding can result from several factors, including inadequate drainage, blocked waterways and intense rainfall, residents interviewed by Daily Trust said the continued loss of natural spaces could increase the volume and speed of water flowing across roads and built-up communities.
They said green spaces and undeveloped land allow rainwater to soak into the ground, while floodplains and natural drainage corridors provide pathways for excess water.
Maryam Bello, a resident, said authorities should consider the environmental function of every piece of land before approving construction.
“Some land may look empty, but it may have a purpose. It may be there to allow water to pass or to provide space for recreation. Once you build on it, you cannot easily bring it back,” she said.
Emeka Nwosu said authorities needed to distinguish between legitimate development and encroachment on protected or environmentally sensitive land.
“Abuja needs development, but development must follow planning. If there are rules protecting green areas and floodplains, those rules should apply to everybody,” he said.
Obstructions on waterways in Maitama removed – FCTA
Meanwhile, the FCT Development Control Department said it had commenced the removal of fences and other minor structures obstructing waterways and drainage channels in Maitama District following the directive by the FCT Minister to tackle flooding in the capital.
The Sector Monitor of the department in Maitama, Tpl Osita Ume, stated this while giving an update on the enforcement exercise.
He said several obstructions identified during the minister’s recent inspection of flood-prone areas had either been removed or were being cleared.
Ume said officials of the Development Control Department, alongside the Engineering Services Department and other relevant agencies, inspected four streets in Maitama last week to identify structures and encroachments contributing to the blockage of stormwater channels.
One of the major intervention points was Ganji Street, where a fenced utility area had obstructed the free flow of stormwater.
He explained that the area had originally been reserved for underground infrastructure, including water pipelines, sewage lines and utility cables, but was later fenced off, impeding the movement of floodwater.
“The area where the stormwater is supposed to flow, the utility area, was reserved because there are underground pipelines there — water, sewage and other cables. But the area was blocked and fenced,” Ume said.
He said the fence was removed the following day after Wike directed the Development Control Department to clear the obstruction.
“The fence that was blocking the flow of water was removed the following day. It was removed to allow free flow of water,” he said.
Ume said officials also worked with the Engineering Services Department to identify blocked manholes and waterways in the area, adding that the intervention had significantly improved water flow.
“If you go there now, you won’t have any evidence of flooding of any kind,” he said of the Ganji Street intervention.
He said officials also moved to Nile Street around Alvan Ikoku Junction, where accumulated sand and other materials were obstructing the drainage system.
The sand, he said, was being removed to allow stormwater to flow freely away from the road.
At Mississippi Street, Ume said several fences identified by the minister as obstructions to the waterway had also been removed.
He mentioned areas around Plots 173 and 3331, where fences and other minor structures had encroached on walkways and drainage corridors.
Ume stressed that the exercise had so far not involved the demolition of major residential buildings, contrary to perceptions that the enforcement campaign involved widespread demolition.
“There’s no building that was affected. It’s fence encroachment, small fence, generator house and gatehouse, as the case may be. There’s no main structure; there was no main house that was affected,” he said.
Similarly, Ume said a gatehouse and garages along Oyi Street, around Plots 36 and 13, had extended into a public utility corridor reserved for services and were subsequently removed.
He said the affected areas were being properly channelled to allow stormwater to flow towards designated green areas.
The Development Control official said the agency was monitoring compliance by property owners and would continue working with the Engineering Services Department and other agencies until all identified obstructions were cleared.
Ume added that the enforcement exercise would continue in the coming days to ensure all affected portions were completely cleared.
