Abuja residents are dying due to flooding. This is not the capital city Nigerians of our dreams.
Anthony Okwecheme left his home for the office on Friday, August 3, 2019. Little did anyone know that he would not return. A husband and father, Okwecheme was the director of finance at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
It’s been raining for days. Poor drainage system and construction work on some major roads in Abuja won’t allow for free flow of water.
On his way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in his official 2017 Toyota Camry, his vehicle is stalled in flood water at Galadimawa Roundabout, Abuja.
While other Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) made their way through the floor water, Okwecheme and his driver were stuck as attempts to restart the car failed.
The director and his driver were said to have made their way to the top of the car as the rain and flood water increased. After hours of calling for help with no assistance, flood water began sweeping away both men.
Okwecheme’s body was found in the muddy flood water died on the spot while his driver was rescued by some Nigerians at the scene of the incident.
Eye witnesses blamed the Okwecheme’s death on the failure of the FCT Emergency Management Agency. They accused officials of the agency of nonchallance.
“When I got to the scene, I saw the men shouting for help, so we went into the water but we could only save the driver as the flood swept away the other man. The officials were around but they didn’t participate in the rescue effort,” Abdul Rauf said.
Again on Friday, August 2, 2019, one person was killed and many injured due to flooding in the Galadimawa area — about fifteen minutes drive from the city center.
On Thursday, July 25, 2019, early morning showers grounded commercial activities and sacked residents of Efab Estate, Lokogoma. Many houses were reportedly washed away at Lungi Barracks.
The rain, which started as early as 6:00 am, lasted for several hours and wreaked havoc on some parts of the city. Many residents were rendered homeless with property worth millions destroyed.
This year, residents of the FCT have experienced some of the worst flood in the nation’s history with many displaced.
But, it has not always been so.
