BY JOEL AJAYI

In 2012, Nigeria recorded what was termed the worst flooding for over forty years, between July and October; rivers overflew its banks, houses submerged, property worth over one billion naira  and over five hundred human ,animal and aquatic lives were loss . It was as if heaven was let loosed on Nigeria alone that year; making people to live in perpetual fear and helplessness especially those living near the river banks and flood prone areas. Since 2012, those affected are still counting their losses as succor is yet to come by.

This year again, rain has been torrential in most cities of Nigeria and FCT wreaking havoc  by destroying lives and property worth over ten million .It was widely reported in the media that over 20 people died owing to flooding in recent time and millions displaced.

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has been taking its share of flooding since the start of 2019 rainy season. FCT ordinarily shouldn’t have suffered this kind of natural disaster as the city was supposed to be built on well architectural city design with its master plan strictly adhered to.

According to 2019 Annual Flood Outlook released on August 7, by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Nigerians will still expect heavier downpour. Since then, the report has put residents of FCT in fear as news of death caused by flooding in FCT has been in circulation. It is no longer flood prone areas that were affected but almost every nook and cranny of FCT is affected.

Flooding in the FCT took a very dangerous dimension as houses were submerged, tar roads water-logged, lives loss, properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

Just last week, a heavy downpour in  Gudaba community of Kuje affected a bridge that links Kuje and Gwagwalada, about ten houses, two worship centers, farms, shops and wares worth millions of naira were destroyed.

Gwagwalada was also affected as the Gwagwalada river was visibly up-surged and the development has made some residents scamper for safety.

In early August, the FCT city centres got its share of flooding as places like Area1 roundabout was waterlogged for three days, Zone 5 by Sky Memorial was not left out and the Airport expressway by China Commerce building was completely waterlogged making road users to suffer for days.

More so, an early morning heavy downpour, recently wrecked havoc in Galadimawa and Lokogoma area in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) as flood swept away the Director of Finance of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Mr. Tony Okwecheme but his driver cheated death.

According to his driver, Okwecheme was on his way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International

Airport to cash a flight when his car was seen floating in the flood at Galadimawa roundabout, Abuja.

Undeniably, the level of destruction is not new to Nigeria. In the last few years, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and scores have died as a result of flooding. One will not forgot in a hurry the 2012 flooding tagged “The Nigeria Flood” owing to its devastating effect resulting to over three hundred lives loss and millions displaced.

Flooding, though natural disaster; could have been mitigated if the proper things were put in place. Many of these flooding were man-made especially in FCT.

Speaking after an emergency meeting to check the incessant flooding, the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa has maintained that seventy percent of flooding in the FCT was man-made. He said, owing to population explosion, infrastructural developers have abandoned the FCT master plan, erecting structures on water ways and unauthorized places. Also blockages of drainage system by residents of FCT through dumping of refuse in the drainage have orchestrated flooding. To buttress these facts, residents of Lokogoma recently had their share of flooding making the FCTA to demolish houses worth over 500million naira and the developer has since been on the run leaving the victims of demolished houses to lick their wounds.

Not only did residents built on waterways without adherent to master plans especially in FCT satellite towns, ongoing roads construction have also blocked so many water ways and drainage.

However, more flood causing disaster may not be over yet as the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency,NIHSA, has released another report saying that heavier downpour is expected till end of October.

NIHSA had placed 15 states on the red alert telling residents to get prepared for massive flooding while the affected state governments should put strategies in place to save people from the impending disaster. The states , according to the Director-General of NIHSA, Mr. Clement Eze, are Cross River, Oyo, Enugu, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Lagos, Edo, Imo, Abia, Jigawa, Adamawa, Delta, Rivers, and Bauchi  as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

However, the FCT Administration  in an emergency meeting to brainstorm the way forward in checking the flooding and its menace. According the FCTA Permanent Secretary said:”Despite the sequences of sensitization and awareness programs put in place by the current FCT Administration, many residents still dump wastes in the drainage and other prohibited locations resulting in confusion and blockage of waterways.

“On our part, we have commenced the removal of all these blockages in the drainage across the city to ensure the free flows of water whenever there is downpour, I want to use this medium to call residents to desist from any act that can add more injuries to the existing wounds in the city.”

“So far, 150 of such houses have been removed in furtherance of the ongoing exercise to clear obstruction on waterways in line with Abuja city master plan.” He said.

Speaking also at the meeting, the Director-General FEMA Mr. Abass Idris buttressed the NIHSA report that more rain is expected in the coming days or week’s saying stakeholders must close ranks to save lives.

“Our past record shows that urban flooding is the most common and recurrent incident in FCT, largely contributed by the attitude of residents building on waterways and blockage of drainage through refuse disposal among other act that obstruct the free flow of water when it rained.”

Idris, however, called on stakeholders to brace-up and work closely to ensure no more life is lost through the re-occurrence of flooding that is prominent in the city.

More so, It will be recalled that, a pedestrian bridge which collapsed in Bauchi State killed four of the students of the institution and left many others injured.

As we write, as at August 2019, over 20 persons have been killed while about two million Nigerians displaced in States like Bauchi, Jigawa, Imo FCT, Delta, Niger owing to flooding.

In Niger State, on Saturday, August 17, no fewer than three persons have reportedly been killed by flood while 500 have been displaced in Bosso and Chanchaga Local Government Areas of Niger State.

In Imo State, at least, three persons have reportedly killed by flood while properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

In Delta State, to be precise the Alibioba community around Agbor Technical College, Agbor in Ika South Local Government Area, and the heavy downpour swept away two teenagers and River Niger is overtly overflowing its bank.

For the obvious, it now rains everyday in FCT, neighbouring and other southern states. It is of note that people living in flood prone areas have to abide by the awareness and sensitization of FCTA and other government agencies to ensure refused is not dump on waterways and houses not build on waterways.

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