Residents of Pasali Extension in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are calling on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to intervene in a severe erosion problem that is threatening their homes.
Some of the affected residents, who spoke with Abuja Metro recently, said the erosion has been an issue for more than four years, leaving several people homeless.
They explained that some houses have already collapsed, forcing residents to relocate.
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Mr. Godwin Emmanuel, a resident whose house is nearly being swallowed by the erosion, told our reporter that he was forced to move his family to a safer area but remains in the house alone.
He said the erosion has been gradually expanding for three years.
According to him, they have been repeatedly contributing money to buy laterite sand to control it, but the problem only gets worse, especially during the rainy season.
He explained that the community has been mobilizing and reporting the issue to area council authorities for three years with no action taken.
Another resident, Mr. Gabriel Adah Ezeh, said the erosion has been a “serious nightmare” for his family.
He has joined his neighbours in contributing money monthly to buy laterite to fill the gullies, but the sand always washes away with heavy rainfall. Ezeh bought the land and built his house seven years ago, but the erosion now threatens both his home and those of his neighbours.
He said his family can’t sleep at nights with heavy rain out of fear that the house will collapse.
“Any day that is rainy, my family and I don’t sleep that night as we become scared just because of the fear that my house may collapse, which has been causing us serious panic,” he said.
He noted that seven houses have collapsed this year alone, forcing those affected to relocate to the neighboring Shadadi area.
He added that community members have complained to the council authorities with no positive response. “Even the council chairman, Abdullahi Suleiman Sabo, visited this area sometime last year during the rainy season when he was inspecting a road he was constructing along Shadadi area, and he assured that he would intervene, but up till this moment, nothing has been done,” he said.
Mrs. Comfort Adeniji, a landlady whose house collapsed from the erosion, said her tenants were forced to find new places to live.
She said her eight-bedroom flat, including the boys’ quarters, has collapsed, with only two apartments remaining and on the verge of collapsing.
“The other two apartments, which are self-contained, are now on the verge of collapse as we speak. I have tried to control the erosion, but it has overpowered me, and I don’t know what to do anymore,” she said.
She added that buying a piece of land is much more difficult now compared to when she bought her property 11 years ago, especially with the population increase in the Kuje Area Council, which is a popular place for civil servants to live due to its proximity to Abuja city.
She appealed to the area council authorities to liaise with the FCT administration and the ecological fund office to help the affected residents.
Barnabas Ishaya, another resident, said his house is also on the verge of collapsing.
According to him, he had led a group of landlords to visit the council chairman, who promised to intervene, but nothing has been done.
“I was even the one who led some of those whose houses were affected by the erosion to meet with the council chairman last year. He promised that he would ask the works department officials to come and assess the place, but up till this moment, nothing has been done,” he said.
He also appealed to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for help, noting that many residents who own vehicles are forced to park them at their neighbours’ houses. “For example, I have to park my vehicle at my friend’s house in the Shadadi area because the road that connects to this place has already been cut off, while other residents also find alternatives to park their vehicles,” he added.
Mr. Ibrahim Mustapha, an official of the Works Department of the Area Council, told our reporter over the phone that the council chairman had already directed that the erosion control be included in next year’s budget.
“The council chairman has already captured the control of erosion at Pasali Extension in next year’s budget because there are six erosion sites that the council is currently controlling, including the rehabilitation of some streets in the Kuje Area Council,” he said.
Mustapha said he led some of his staff to the area, took photographs, and presented them to the council chairman. He said the file is currently with the works department under his care, and work on the erosion will begin next year after other projects are completed.