The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared a sweeping crackdown on properties built along waterways in Abuja, warning that no homeowner- regardless of influence, wealth or political standing—will be spared.

Speaking after touring flood-ravaged sections of Maitama on Tuesday, Wike ordered the immediate demolition of structures obstructing natural drainage channels, directing officials to begin enforcement without delay and sustain the exercise through Saturday.

The minister’s warning comes in the wake of devastating flash floods that recently swept through parts of the capital following heavy rainfall, raising fresh concerns about environmental violations and urban planning failures.

Standing in one of the affected areas, Wike accused some property owners of illegally occupying corridors reserved for stormwater channels under the FCT masterplan, a development he said has worsened flooding across the city.

According to him, investigations revealed that several high-profile properties were built directly on waterways that should have remained open to channel excess rainwater.

“We will demolish every structure found on designated water channels,” the minister declared, stressing that even politically exposed persons would not be exempt from the exercise.

“Some of the affected owners are senators. Some are influential Nigerians. That will not stop us from doing what is right.”

Wike insisted that the era of selective enforcement was over, vowing that the FCT Administration would strictly enforce planning regulations regardless of the social or political status of those involved.

He argued that many of the offending structures were not recent developments but had existed for years due to weak enforcement and lack of political will by previous administrations.

“These are not buildings that sprang up overnight,” he said. “Many of them have been standing for eight to ten years, despite being located where construction was never supposed to take place.”

The minister noted that most of the properties in question belong to affluent Nigerians, adding that ordinary citizens were rarely able to build in such restricted areas.

While acknowledging that climate change has intensified rainfall patterns in recent years, Wike maintained that human activities remain a major contributor to flooding in the capital.

He identified illegal construction on waterways, blocked drainage systems, indiscriminate waste disposal and poor development monitoring as some of the factors worsening the situation.

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“The volume of rainfall we are experiencing today is unlike what we saw in the past,” he said. “But we must also admit that human actions have made the problem worse.”

As part of immediate intervention measures, the minister directed relevant agencies to begin desilting major drainage channels and clear blocked waterways across flood-prone districts.

Wike also pushed back against criticisms from political opponents and commentators who questioned the administration’s handling of flooding issues.

His remarks followed concerns raised by Senator Ireti Kingibe, who had claimed that warnings about potential flooding in Abuja were ignored by authorities.

The minister, however, dismissed attempts to turn the environmental challenge into a political contest, insisting that governance—not political point-scoring—remains his priority.

He defended the administration’s performance, arguing that significant progress had been recorded across the FCT over the past three years despite existing challenges.

According to him, no fair assessment of Abuja’s development would overlook the infrastructure projects and reforms implemented under the current administration.

Wike also highlighted achievements in land administration, revealing that the FCT Administration had issued 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os) within the last three years.

He contrasted the figure with approximately 7,000 certificates reportedly issued by two previous administrations over a combined period of 13 years.

The minister concluded with a warning to residents and business operators, urging them to stop dumping refuse into drainage channels and waterways.

He assured Abuja residents that the administration would remain relentless in tackling environmental violations, improving infrastructure and preventing future flood disasters.

For homeowners whose buildings sit on restricted waterways, however, the message from the FCT minister was unmistakable: demolition is coming, and no amount of influence will stand in its way.