The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has attributed the recent flooding in parts of Abuja to the activities of scavengers, even as it confirmed that the city’s 1979 Master Plan is currently under review to address the capital’s growing infrastructure challenges.

Following a heavy downpour on Saturday that submerged several areas including Wuse, Katampe, Gwarinpa, and Gudu critics, including lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, accused FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of neglecting the Abuja Master Plan and allowing the capital to fall into disrepair.

In response, Lere Olayinka, the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, issued a statement on Monday defending the administration.

Olayinka acknowledged the flooding but stressed that such incidents are not new to Abuja. He noted that similar floods occurred in 2019 across Wuse, Jabi, and Lokogoma, and again in 2022 in Lokogoma District, Efab Estate, and the Gudu axis. “The sad reality is that Abuja has been witnessing floods long before Wike assumed office,” Olayinka stated, describing the latest flooding as a reminder of the pressures facing a rapidly expanding city where infrastructure and planning enforcement have struggled to keep pace with growth.

A significant factor cited by the FCTA is the theft of drainage covers by scavengers. Olayinka explained that stolen covers expose drainage channels to refuse, creating severe blockages that worsen flooding during heavy rainfall. To combat this, the administration has begun deploying tamper-proof drainage covers designed to be difficult for scavengers to remove.

As a longer-term solution, the FCTA confirmed it is reviewing the 1979 Abuja Master Plan to reflect the current realities of the capital city. This review, which began in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) earlier this year, aims to upgrade drainage networks, improve urban mobility, and support Abuja’s development as a modern, resilient city.