A RESIDENT of Abuja identified as Dauwa is missing following a heavy downpour which led to flooding in some areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the early hours of Wednesday.
Dauwa who resides in the Gudu area of Abuja was carried away by the flood at about 8:00 am and is yet to be found at the time of filing this report.
It was gathered that the flood brought down a fence within the area and Dauwa and some other residents were going to inspect the damage when he was carried away by the water.
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Dauwa’s family members could not be reached as they had set out to search for him, but a resident of the area, Isah Musa, narrated the incident to The ICIR.
“We saw that somebody’s fence had been brought down by the rain. There were four of us and we went to check if there was further damage. Three of us had crossed the water. He (Dauwa) was the fourth, but then the water carried him before he could cross over. We’ve searched everywhere, but we haven’t found him,” he said.
In the Gaduwa part of the city, residents, including traders, lost several properties and goods to the flood.
Halidu Audu sells both fairly used and new building materials in the area. Most of his goods had been washed away by the flood.
He told The ICIR that he has lost goods to flooding during the rainy season in previous years.
“Every time the rain is heavy, the rain washes away my goods. My workers have to go into the water to try and salvage whatever is left,” he said.
He also told The ICIR that the flood had entered some residential buildings in neighbouring areas, including Lokogoma.
Flooding has been a recurring situation in some parts of the FCT.
A Facebook user, Inya Ode, on Wednesday shared a photo of the Lokogoma area of Abuja, decrying the recurrent nature of flooding along the axis.
“Every year, the same issue! All employers should just chill for Lokogoma people today, we go late small,” she wrote in pidgin English.
In 2021, five residents of Abuja died in a flood which hit some parts of Lugbe. Residents of Trademore Estate in Lugbe also lost several properties in the flood.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.