Homes of Kano Deputy Governor, Former Inspector-General of Police Flooded in Abuja as Residents Blame Canal Blockage Linked to Senator Bomai
Floodwaters have submerged parts of the Maitama Extension district in Abuja, affecting several high-profile properties including the residence of Kano State Deputy Governor, Murtala Garo, and the home of former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Ehigiator Arase. Residents of the affected area have attributed the flooding to the alleged covering and obstruction of a major canal that previously served as a natural drainage channel for stormwater during periods of heavy rainfall, raising fresh concerns over unregulated construction activities within one of Abuja’s most prestigious residential districts.
According to residents who spoke about the situation, the canal that once provided an essential outlet for excess rainwater was reportedly covered over to create space for residential development, with the affected land allegedly linked to Senator Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai, who currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory. One resident described the scale of the alteration in blunt terms, stating that a very large canal had been covered entirely, directly resulting in the flooding now being experienced across the neighbourhood. Residents further alleged that construction subsequently took place not only on the canal corridor itself but also on what had previously been designated as a green area within the district.
Providing further detail on the extent of the development, one resident specifically identified the deputy governor of Kano’s residence and the home of the former Inspector-General of Police as among the properties directly affected by the flooding. According to residents, as many as fourteen duplexes were reportedly constructed on the combined area encompassing both the former green space and the canal corridor itself, a development they argued has fundamentally altered the natural flow of stormwater through the district and left surrounding properties significantly more vulnerable whenever heavy rainfall occurs.
The affected residents expressed deep concern over the safety implications of the altered drainage system, with one describing the situation as placing their families directly in danger given the unpredictable nature of flooding whenever rains intensify. Another resident conveyed a sense of heartbreak over watching their community grapple with the consequences of what they viewed as poorly regulated development decisions that prioritized construction opportunities over the preservation of essential environmental and drainage infrastructure within the neighbourhood.
The flooding incident has since drawn broader attention from civil society figures, with human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju formally writing to President Bola Tinubu urging federal intervention to address what he described as a deepening environmental disaster affecting the nation’s capital. In his correspondence, Adeyanju argued that recurring flooding across Abuja could no longer be reasonably dismissed as merely a consequence of heavy rainfall, pointing specifically to the alleged covering of the Maitama canal as a clear example of how unchecked development decisions have compounded existing vulnerabilities in areas previously considered less prone to flooding.
Adeyanju further called for a comprehensive review of land allocation decisions made under previous administrations, referencing broader concerns about drainage-sensitive areas across the Federal Capital Territory. He noted that the FCT Emergency Management Department has already identified numerous communities across Abuja as flood-prone, including Lokogoma, Galadimawa, Lugbe, Maitama, Wuse, Garki, Asokoro, Guzape, Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Kubwa, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing authorities as they work to address recurring flooding across various parts of the capital territory during the ongoing rainy season.
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