The ministry of environment has released a technical forensic report attributing recent destructive flash floods in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to severely blocked underground drainage channels and unmanaged municipal waste.
The findings were published on Thursday, following an on-the-spot assessment conducted across commercial corridors in Abuja.
The technical inspection, led by the department of erosion, flood and coastal zone management, focused on vulnerable districts including Blantyre Crescent in Wuse II following severe downpours.
According to the report, massive accumulations of silt, solid plastic waste, and construction debris inside underground manholes severely restricted stormwater conveyance.
”Under intense rainfall, the restricted system is unable to evacuate runoff efficiently, leading to hydraulic surcharge, backflow, and surface inundation,” the technical assessment warned.
The ministry also expressed deep concern over cross-contaminated wastewater and sewage found mixing with surface floodwaters, signalling structural integrity failures in older urban utility lines. Environmental engineers recommended the immediate, routine desilting of all major underground networks ahead of subsequent weather peaks.
Furthermore, the federal agency urged municipal authorities to establish a centralised digital asset register to track manhole maintenance records and prevent recurring urban flood disasters.
