Residents Count Losses As Flood Ravages Abuja Estate, Kills Three

• Some persons still missing, vehicles destroyed

BY EDMOND ODOK – Residents of Trademore Estate in Lugbe District of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are still counting their losses following the heavy flooding that reportedly killed at least three persons and destroyed many property on Sunday night.

The unfortunate incident, which occurred due to torrential downpour that swept through the area, left behind untold pains as some persons are said to be missing while many vehicles were completely destroyed by rampaging flood.

The Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency, Mr Abbas Idris, who confirmed the incident to Channels Television, said efforts were on to ensure casualties from the incident were curtailed.

But some residents of the area are insisting there are more fatalities than the official figures reported. Those who spoke on the flood said at least three bodies were recovered on Monday, even as officials of the fire service and other safety agencies from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) battled to clear the debris at the incident scene.

According to them, flood incidents have become an annual ritual within the estate during each rainy season but  the latest one is the worst case in the last nine years.

Chairman of the Trademore Estate Association (TEA), Adewale Osinaike, who confirmed the incident on Monday, however said the Association is yet properly identify the three persons that died in the flood.

He said the third victim evacuated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) around 10 a.m. was that of a male who reportedly came to purchase medicine in the estate, adding that his body was discovered by the residents.

Giving further insight on the unfortunate development, Osinaike said; “We have three deaths so far confirmed. The one we just took out from the vehicle came to buy drugs. He sat in his car hoping that the water level would subside but the water eventually just submerged him and his new Land Rover.

“The flood lifted the vehicle above the road, above the bridge into the channel. And to get him out, it took a lot of breaking the car as the Fire Service and NEMA could not do anything to salvage the situation. They were all there. It was the ‘Aboki’ boys that eventually succeeded in making any head way in the clearance mission.”

A resident of the estate, who introduced himself as an engineer, Abdul Abubakar, said having been around for some time, he witnessed the gory events of 2020 but did not know this year would be worse.

Abubakar said; “I have been in this area for the past nine years but it has never been like this. This is the worst. If you check, we have Kennedy Street here, the other street is Obafemi Awolowo. The highest we have ever experienced ended at Kennedy Street but this extended to Obafemi Awolowo.

“I’m shocked to see what is really happening. You can see one of those guys I was talking to. He was among the persons that rescued a woman who lost seven children (yet to be verified) to the flood around 1 am. this morning in Zone 7. They were able to rescue only her but yet to know the whereabouts of the children.”

The Trademore Estate has been in the news for flooding in the last two years with one death reported during the 2020 downpour that destroyed many houses and properties, rendering most residents homeless.