In order to prevent incessant flooding in Trademore Estate, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday, removed over 30 houses said to be on flood plain.
The task force team, led by Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, while fielding questions from journalists at the site, revealed that over 100 houses were marked, but that only 30 were removed.
According to him, “This is ongoing removal of illegal structures on the flood plains at the Trademore Estate along airport road. This estate has been a theatre of intensive flooding, and we have been engaging them for years and they have come to terms that this area is very dangerous to their lives. The Minister of the 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 excessive development on the flood plain in Trademore Estate…and this is very worrisome.
“All the houses that are going down were marked, and some had been marked as long as three years ago, some were marked at foundation, window and roofing levels. The final marking was about four days ago. And we gave them 48 hours, and even gave them additional 24 hours.”
A resident, Sadat Bankole, who has been leaving in the area for over 10 years, said if the demolition would save and prevent further loss of lives, then she was in support.
