Wike orders demolition of buildings blocking waterways
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has ordered the immediate demolition of all structures built on water channels, declaring that “no big man or senator will be spared.”
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has directed the FCT Department of Development Control to immediately demolish all structures built on water channels and right-of-way zones across the territory. Wike gave the directive while briefing newsmen after inspecting flood-affected areas on Tuesday in the high-brow Maitama District, Abuja, declaring that “no big man or senator will be spared.”
Wike stated that the recent flooding in parts of the nation’s capital was heavily aggravated by man-made factors, particularly illegal developments blocking natural drainage channels. “People, by their positions, have blocked it, believing that nothing will happen,” he said. “Now you have done your own by blocking the water channel, and nothing has happened. Thank God the flood has come and has drawn our attention to the place; now something will happen. I’m going to bring those houses down.”
The minister rejected critics' attempts to frame the administration’s response as a failure of governance or a political vendetta. He pointed out that the illegal structures obstructing the waterways were not erected by the poor, but by high-net-worth individuals allowed by previous administrations that lacked the political courage to enforce the Abuja Master Plan. “Previous administrations may not have had the political will. Government officers may not have been encouraged to do what they’re supposed to do. I have the political will,” he said.
Wike’s declaration is a significant test of his political will. The Abuja Master Plan has been violated for years, with powerful individuals building on water channels with impunity. His promise that “no big man or senator will be spared” is a clear signal that he intends to enforce the law regardless of the status of the offenders. The demolition will test whether the government can enforce its own regulations or whether the powerful will once again escape accountability.
This echoes the 2019 demolition of illegal structures in Lagos, when the government also took on powerful interests. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a test of political will.
The winners: Abuja residents, who may benefit from reduced flooding; and the FCT Administration, which is enforcing the law. The losers: the owners of the illegal structures, and the Nigerian government, which must sustain the enforcement.
Bottom Line: Wike is demolishing buildings on water channels. No big man will be spared. The question is whether the political will will hold or the powerful will find a way to escape.