Flood Disaster: How Rainfall Trapped Residents in Abuja Estate

Patrick OdeyJune 23, 2023

1 minute read

Residents of Trademore Estate in Lugbe District, Abuja, Nigeria, were left stranded and helpless by flood after hours of heavy rainfall on Friday. The flood submerged houses, cars and properties in the estate, which is located along the airport road.

According to Ruth Agbogidi, a resident near the estate, her friend who lives in Trademore Estate could not go anywhere due to the rain. She said that this was not the first time that the estate was affected by flooding whenever it rained heavily.

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confirmed the incident and blamed it on the location of the estate. The Director General of FEMA, Abbass Idriss, said that the entire estate sits on water and should be demolished for safety reasons.

He said that FEMA had carried out demolition last year in some parts of the estate, but was shocked to hear that flooding occurred again. He stated that the only solution was to demolish the whole estate and relocate the residents.

He said: “Yes, we carried out the demolition last year; we are shocked to hear this news of flooding again. However, the truth is that the entire estate is situated on top of water. For the safety of the lives of Nigerians, the estate as a whole would have to be demolished”.

Trademore Estate is one of the popular estates in Lugbe District, Abuja. It has over 24 available houses for sale or rent, according to Nigeria Property Centre. The estate is also close to other estates such as River Park Estate, Diamond Estate and Gold City Estate.

However, the estate has been plagued by flooding for years. In 2021, flood claimed at least four lives and destroyed several properties in Trademore Estate. The residents have been calling on the government and relevant agencies to intervene and provide lasting solutions to the problem.