Senator Ireti Kingibe has attributed the worsening flooding in Abuja to increasing construction on green areas, flood channels and flood plains, warning that blocked waterways are leaving rainwater with fewer routes to flow.
Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory in the Senate, made the remarks during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday. She said she had repeatedly raised concerns with relevant FCT agencies over developments she believes are inconsistent with Abuja’s original master plan.
According to the senator, some flood channels and gullies have either been built over or significantly narrowed, restricting the free movement of water during periods of heavy rainfall.
She cited parts of Wuse Zone 6, Asokoro and Jabi as areas where she alleged that construction and other developments had encroached on drainage and flood-prone locations.
“Some of the development approved under the current FCT administration is actually increasing Abuja’s flood risk,” Kingibe said, adding that she had previously written to the Development Control Department, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and the FCDA about the situation.
The senator expressed particular concern over developments around public green spaces, stressing that Abuja was originally designed with designated areas and channels to accommodate stormwater.
She explained that the capital’s rocky terrain allows rainwater to move rapidly from higher elevations, making unobstructed drainage channels essential for preventing flooding.
“When the water starts coming down, there’s nowhere for them to flow into because all their paths are closed,” she said.
Kingibe further alleged that some drainage channels that had not been completely blocked had been narrowed to the point where they could no longer effectively handle heavy water flows.
She rejected suggestions that her criticism was politically motivated or linked to her disagreements with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, insisting that she had raised concerns about Abuja’s infrastructure and green spaces long before the latest flooding.
According to her, she began raising some of the issues shortly after becoming a senator and had continued to engage relevant government agencies.
“It’s not personal to the minister. It’s just that everything that impacts negatively on my constituents, I need to take it up with somebody,” she said.
Kingibe said she had asked the FCDA to provide details of both short-term and long-term measures being planned to tackle the capital’s flooding problems.
While acknowledging that Abuja’s flooding challenges predated the current administration, she accused successive governments of allowing green areas to be gradually lost to development.
She, however, maintained that the situation had deteriorated considerably over the past three to four years.
“Obviously, yes, there was a problem. It didn’t start with him, but he has definitely exacerbated that problem immensely,” she said, referring to the current FCT administration.
Kingibe Calls for Urgent Flood Control Measures
Kingibe also called for the immediate removal of accumulated refuse from streets and drainage systems, warning that waste washed into waterways during rainfall could further obstruct already-constricted channels.
She urged the authorities to address longstanding deficiencies in Abuja’s drainage and sewage infrastructure while conducting a comprehensive review of the capital’s environmental and flood-control systems.
The senator stressed that political considerations should be put aside in addressing the recurring flooding.
“We need to sit down realistically, holistically, put aside politics, and look at urgent solutions,” she said.
Kingibe also appealed to the National Assembly to strengthen its oversight of the FCT and investigate the factors contributing to the recurring floods.
She urged lawmakers to treat the issue as a major infrastructure and public safety concern rather than dismissing her warnings as part of a political dispute with the FCT minister.
