FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says demolitions of structures built on waterways in Abuja will continue, as the administration moves to restore natural drainage channels and enforce the city’s Master Plan.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to sustain the ongoing demolitions of structures built on waterways across Abuja, insisting that the exercise will not be halted regardless of who is affected.
Wike stated this on Wednesday while inspecting ongoing projects in the nation’s capital, saying the clearance operation was part of a wider effort to restore Abuja’s Master Plan, protect natural drainage channels and reduce the risk of flooding.
The minister said the exercise, which began with the removal of structures along waterways in Maitama, would be extended to other parts of the Federal Capital Territory where illegal developments obstruct natural watercourses or contravene planning regulations.
“Definitely, we have just started somewhere. After that, we will move to another area. We are not going to end just where we started yesterday,” Wike said.
He assured residents that the FCT Administration would remain committed to the enforcement exercise, stressing that no individual or property owner would be exempted because of status or influence.
The latest operation follows previous enforcement actions by the FCT Administration against developments on floodplains and waterways. In May 2025, the administration ordered the removal of illegal structures along floodplains and water channels, citing the need to prevent flooding and protect lives and property.
Wike also disclosed that he had issued an official query to the Director of Urban Planning over approvals allegedly granted for car dealers to operate on designated green areas.
He expressed concern over the conversion of public utility, recreational and ecological spaces into commercial vehicle display lots, describing the development as a violation of the intended use of such areas.
The minister announced an immediate ban on car sales activities in public green spaces and said a task force had been established to ensure that auto dealers were removed from the affected locations.
He advised vehicle dealers to acquire and develop legitimate commercial properties for their businesses, warning that the FCT Administration would no longer tolerate the conversion of spaces reserved for recreation and environmental protection.
The position is consistent with Wike’s longstanding enforcement of Abuja’s land-use and planning regulations. In March 2026, he ordered the demolition of an estate developed on a designated green area in Guzape after the plot, originally allocated for park and recreation purposes, was converted for residential development.
Wike also rejected criticism of the ongoing clearance operations, particularly claims that the government was failing to follow due process.
He argued that structures erected directly on water channels create risks for entire communities by obstructing the natural movement of water, making their removal necessary to protect lives and property.
“You can’t go and erect a structure to block the water channel that is now affecting the entire community, and you are saying I am not following due process.
“Sometimes when you are in a mad community, you also have some level of madness to contain them,” he said.
The minister maintained that the enforcement operations were necessary to restore order and protect Abuja’s urban environment.
The FCT Administration has also intensified enforcement against other forms of unauthorised development and settlements. In July 2026, Wike ordered the demolition of an illegal settlement near Karmajiji in the Kukwaba District after security agencies identified it as a suspected criminal hideout.
The latest waterway demolitions therefore form part of a broader FCT enforcement drive aimed at tackling illegal development, protecting designated public spaces and strengthening compliance with Abuja’s planning regulations.
Wike reiterated that the administration would continue the exercise across the capital until structures obstructing waterways and other developments violating approved land-use regulations are addressed.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.
