The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), has dismissed as untrue media reports that two persons lost their lives to the devastating floods at Trademore Estate in Lugbe area of Abuja on Monday.
A viral video on social media posted on Monday morning with a female voice had alleged that two persons were swept away by the floods in the estate.
But, the acting director-general of FEMD, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, after an assessment of the affected areas after the Monday’s downpour at Trademore Estate, declared that no life was lost.
“We did not receive any distress call from Trademore. We saw the viral video and we went there to carry out an assessment. We interviewed some residents and they confirmed that no life was lost to the floods.
“We activated NEMA, FCT Fire Service, Department of Development Control and Department of Engineering Services,” she said.
Wenegieme said that the houses submerged by the floods were part of the 116 structures already marked for demolition in 2023 when Trademore was declared a disaster zone.
She stated that FCTA was prevented from removing the structures by a court injunction instituted by the association of residents of Trademore Estate.
The acting director-general lamented that a primary school with about 500 pupils, management and staff is also sitting on the water channel in the estate, describing it as a disaster waiting to happen.
She also informed that structures earlier demolished by the Department of Development Control were being rebuilt or renovated by the owners.
Wenegieme appealed to residents in houses marked for demolition at Trademore Estate to relocate, advising the owners of the estate to provide all needed infrastructure to avert a reoccurrence of flash floods that may lead to loss of lives at the estate.