Federal Capital Territory FCT administration has demolished over 30 residential houses to prevent incessant floodings in Trademore Estate in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Attah, while fielding questions from journalists at the site in Abuja yesterday, revealed that over 100 houses were marked but 30 houses would be removed immediately.
According to him, “This is ongoing removal of illegal structures on the flood plain at the trademore estate along airport road. This estate has been a theatre of flooding very intensive flooding here and we have been engaging them for years and they have come to terms that this area is very dangerous to their lives and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello, has asked us to remove all illegal structures on the flood plain. And that is what the machine behind me is doing.
“There has been excessesive development on the flood plain in Trademore Estate of some persons and these is very worrisome.
All the houses that are going down were marked and some have been marked as long as three years ago, some were marked at foundation level, window level, roofing level. The final marking was about 4 days ago. And we gave them 48 hours and even gave them additional 24 hours”.
He said, “For now 30 houses are going but over 100 were marked but we are still engaging critical stakeholders around there. After removing the first 30 houses, we will engage with them we look at how we can use land solution act to find solution.
“Like what some of them are saying that the Developer of Trademore Estate should be charge to court , they have the locus standing to take him to court.
“We are very keen in getting the structures out so that water can pass and lives are saved in the city” .
He also reiterated that the administration won’t compensate anyone because there was no building plan,no approval, no allocation on the flood plain.
“We are not going to give any compensation because there was no building approval”, he noted.
One of the affected residents, Mrs Sadat Bankole, who has been leaving in that area for over 10 years, said if the demolition will save and prevent further loss of lives, then she is in support.
“What has been happening here is not palatable . Why is flooding constant in this area in the last few years. My view is that if people’s lives are involved then demolition should take place so that the place would be free from flooding.
“My first experience of flooding here was about 7 years ago and then it stopped but in the last 3 years there has been constant flooding everytime it rains. When the rain starts you cannot come out and you cannot come in”she said.
She called for the prosecution of the Developer of Trademore Estate, for flood diversion, “Yes, there is a diversion of the flood plain, i was told where the developer build houses are the roots of the water and the water was diverted.
“The person who diverted the flow of water should be ask questions and be sanctioned. The Developer must be asked questions , why is the Developer walking free. He should be prosecuted. There was a time I had to sleep outside. The bridge was just constructed. Lives were lost and it is criminal act, he killed people. It is the innocent buyers that are suffering now”.
Another resident of the area, mr Ike Emmanuel, who expressed sadness over the exercise called for the Developer to be taken to court for the criminal act.
He also urged the government to force the Developer to accept responsibility for loss of lives and selling water plain properties to Nigerians.