FCT community displaced as erosion worsens

As the rainy season intensifies, residents of Wadada Extension in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have begun relocating from their homes following the worsening impact of gully erosion threatening lives and property in the area. Many affected residents who spoke with Abuja Metro on the development, described the situation as dire, […]

As the rainy season intensifies, residents of Wadada Extension in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have begun relocating from their homes following the worsening impact of gully erosion threatening lives and property in the area.

Many affected residents who spoke with Abuja Metro on the development, described the situation as dire, noting that the erosion has, over the years, gradually eaten into residential areas, leading to the collapse of buildings and displacement of families.

Malam Yakubu Ibrahim, one of the victims, said he was forced to move his family to a neighbour’s house after a significant portion of his three-bedroom apartment caved in.

“Almost half of my house has collapsed due to the erosion. Now that the rains have started, I don’t have the financial strength to rebuild or acquire another plot. That is why I relocated with my family to squat with a neighbour for now,” he said.

He explained that residents had previously made efforts to contain the erosion by contributing money to fill the gully with refuse, but the intervention yielded little result.

“We tried to manage it ourselves by contributing money and hiring a tipper to dump refuse into the gully, but it keeps getting worse, especially during the rainy season,” he added.

Yakubu noted that the community had also reported the situation to the council authorities, adding that officials from the works department had visited the site months ago for assessment.

“They came, inspected the area, took photographs of the affected houses, and left. Since then, we have not seen any intervention,” he said.

Another resident, Suleiman Saidu, said the erosion has not only damaged homes but also disrupted movement within the community, cutting off access to key routes, including the Abaji market.

“There used to be a road linking this area to the Abaji market, but the erosion has completely cut it off. People now have to trek long distances to access neighbouring communities or the market,” he said.

Similarly, Ndako Musa, whose house was completely destroyed, recounted how he narrowly escaped tragedy.

“It is only by God’s grace that my family and I survived. When part of the house collapsed, I quickly evacuated my family and belongings. We are now staying with relatives,” he said.

He appealed to the council and the FCT Administration to urgently intervene before the situation deteriorates further.

Residents also called on authorities to fast-track measures to control the erosion, warning that more homes could be lost if urgent action is not taken.

A senior official in the Abaji council’s works department, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the issue had been escalated to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

According to the official, the council chairman had drawn the minister’s attention to the erosion challenge during a recent visit to Abaji, noting that the problem also affects other locations, including areas around the abattoir and Unguwar Gakia.

The official, however, did not provide a timeline for intervention.