Abuja motorists battle flooded roads as rainy season sets in

M otorists and commuters in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have raised concerns over recurring flash floods on major roads and streets across Abuja, saying each rainfall now leaves several routes waterlogged and difficult to navigate. Areas around the Jabi Under Bridge, Wuse, Utako, Berger Junction and parts of Aminu Kano Crescent, among others, were affected by recent rainfall, with road users blaming blocked drainage channels and poor road infrastructure for the situation. Many motorists who spoke with Abuja Metro described driving through flooded roads in the nation’s capital as stressful, risky and expensive. A commercial driver in Wuse, Musa Sani Aliyu, said several roads become flooded minutes after rainfall, forcing motorists to drive slowly to avoid damaging their vehicles. “Sometimes the water rises to the middle of the tyre. Drivers become scared because you don’t know what is inside the water,” he said. Sani said some motorists abandon flooded routes entirely during heavy rainfall. Another driver, Polycarp Jonathan, said many vehicle owners spend heavily on repairs after driving through flooded roads. “When water enters the engine or electrical parts, you will definitely spend money. Some cars stop in the middle of the road immediately after passing through the water,” he said. Jonathan said the situation was becoming worse around Jabi and Utako during rainfall. A taxi driver, Abdullahi Idris, said movement across some parts of Abuja had become difficult whenever it rains. “You can be inside traffic for almost one hour because everybody is trying to avoid flooded areas,” he said. He added that some drivers take dangerous shortcuts to escape flooded roads, increasing the risk of accidents. A mechanic in Jabi, Mustapha Chakwa, said vehicles brought to his workshop after rainfall often develop faults linked to water entering sensitive parts of the engine. “Most drivers try to force their vehicles through deep water. Later, the engine starts developing problems,” he said. Chakwa said some motorists ignore the risks until their vehicles break down completely. Another driver, Ismaila Garba, described the situation as embarrassing for a capital city. “This is Abuja. Roads should not become rivers each time it rains,” he said. Garba blamed poor drainage and lack of proper maintenance for the recurring flooding on major roads. Another motorist, Victor Eze, said flooded roads also hide potholes and open drainage covers. “Once the road is covered with water, you cannot see anything again. That is how accidents happen,” he said. He recalled damaging his tyre after driving into a pothole hidden beneath floodwater last month. Pedestrians are also not left out, as many have expressed concern over the situation. A civil servant, Grace Matthew, said crossing roads after rainfall had become difficult in some parts of the city. “You either remove your shoes or wait for the water to reduce before crossing,” she said. Matthew added that many workers arrive late to their offices because of flooded streets and traffic caused by rainfall. Another civil servant, Ummul’Khair Ahmed, said pedestrians were often splashed with dirty water by vehicles struggling through flooded roads. “Sometimes you cannot even stand close to the road because vehicles are pushing water everywhere,” she said. Residents called on the FCT Administration to clear blocked drainage channels and improve road drainage across flood-prone areas before the peak of the rainy season. Blocked drainages, illegal structures worsen Abuja flooding – Expert Speaking with Abuja Metro, a former Director of Works and Maintenance Services at the Federal University of Lafia, Engr. Riyadh Ojulari, blamed the flooding largely on blocked drainage channels, illegal structures built along waterways and indiscriminate waste disposal. “The major cause of this flooding is clogged drainage. Most of the drainages are blocked,” he said. Ojulari said he recently visited parts of Abuja, including Aminu Kano Crescent, during rainfall and observed debris and waste blocking water channels. “We found out that there was debris everywhere along the drainage path where the water was supposed to pass through. It was already blocked with waste,” he said. According to him, many of the affected roads were not suffering from poor engineering design but from blocked drainage systems preventing the free flow of water. “There are drainage systems in many of those areas, but several of them are blocked. If the waterway is not blocked, the water will flow easily,” he said. He also blamed developments on drainage paths and flood plains for worsening the situation in some parts of the capital city. “When you build illegally on drainage routes, it will cause this kind of problem,” he said. Ojulari identified areas such as Jabi, Utako, Berger Junction and Aminu Kano Crescent as vulnerable because of their low-lying topography, saying large volumes of water naturally flow towards such areas during rainfall. “Aminu Kano is lower. Gravity pulls water to the lowest point. The water is supposed to flow through, but the drainages are blocked,” he explained. He warned that the flooding could become more dangerous as rainfall intensifies in the coming months if urgent action is not taken. “If it is not checked and corrected, it will cause a lot of inconvenience. It is very risky for commuters as well as motorists,” he said. He added that flooded roads could damage vehicles and expose pedestrians to hidden dangers such as uncovered manholes. “Some of these manholes are open. You can be walking and accidentally fall into them,” he said. Ojulari also said Abuja’s growing population had increased pressure on existing drainage infrastructure, stressing the need for upgrades and stricter enforcement of the city’s master plan. “The population of Abuja has increased tremendously. There is a need to upgrade the drainage infrastructure and check developers building along drainage lines, especially in the outskirts where there are violations of the master plan,” he said. He said agencies responsible for environmental enforcement and sanitation, including the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), should intensify monitoring and public sensitisation against indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainage channels. “We should not wait until the rain starts. Drainages should be cleared as often as possible,” he added.