By Matthew Denis
Fear gripped Abuja community as an early morning downpour which was sustained till 11.30am on Monday when this report was being filed, wreaked havoc within Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
A trending video shared by a resident of the capital showed heavy flooding around Trademore estate, Lugbe which submerged many houses as it happened in previous years.
The Federal Capital Authorities had announced last year that it would demolish structures on waterways in the estate and other estates across the FCT, but residents of the affected areas kicked against it.
In a statement signed by the FCDA executive director, Shehu Ahmed, he said the structures in communities such as Trademore Estate, disrupting the natural water flow, were responsible for flooding recorded in some parts of the city, despite the Administration marking many buildings in the estate, the occupants refused to vacate.
The rain lasted for hours.
Recall that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted thunderstorms and rainy conditions across the country from Sunday to Tuesday.
In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, NiMet detailed the following weather predictions: “On Sunday morning, thunderstorms are expected in regions including Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Taraba, and Kaduna. Later in the day, similar weather conditions are likely in Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Yobe, and Taraba.
“For the central states, areas such as Plateau, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, and Niger should anticipate morning thunderstorms on Sunday, with more expected in the afternoon and evening over Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory.
“In southern Nigeria, cities including Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Bayelsa, and Lagos are forecasted to experience morning rain on Sunday, followed by thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening over Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Lagos.”