By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the worsening flooding across the Federal Capital Territory, warning that Abuja’s original Master Plan is under serious threat.
In an open letter to the President, Adeyanju said the repeated flooding of residential and commercial areas can no longer be blamed solely on heavy rainfall, as communities previously less vulnerable are now being affected.
He said Abuja’s green areas, parks, gardens, drainage corridors, canals and waterways were deliberately incorporated into the city’s Master Plan to control flooding and preserve its environmental balance.
According to him, the conversion and development of some of these spaces have disrupted natural drainage routes and increased the capital’s exposure to flooding.
Adeyanju cited several flood-prone locations identified by the FCT Emergency Management Department, including Lokogoma, Galadimawa, Lugbe, Maitama, Wuse, Garki, Asokoro, Guzape, Gwarinpa, Kubwa, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji.
He also alleged that some designated green areas and drainage corridors in parts of Area 11, Maitama and Wuse Zone 3 have been affected by development, calling for the allegations and land allocations to be properly investigated.
The activist said Abuja cannot afford to sacrifice spaces that may appear economically unproductive today but are critical to the survival and environmental stability of the capital in the future.
Adeyanju is therefore asking President Tinubu to order a comprehensive review of land allocations and developments affecting Abuja’s green areas, parks, drainage corridors, canals and waterways.
He warned that Abuja hosts Nigeria’s most important institutions, including the Presidency, National Assembly, judiciary and diplomatic missions, stressing that protecting the capital from uncontrolled development and worsening floods is a national responsibility.