In this report The ICIR dives into the windstorm damage on the newly built Kugbo Bus Terminal in Nyanya, Abuja, which occurred in the late afternoon of Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Blessing, a Point of Sale (POS) agent near the terminal, said a resident who tried to escape the strong wind got his arm slashed. She also noted that their business was disrupted when aluminium sheets and roofing materials were blown onto their wares during the windstorm.

“It was around 3:30 pm when we heard the breeze, as we started packing our chairs and canopy, that was when we saw the zinc and roofs flew to our stalls. No one died, but the man who stopped near us due to the breeze got his arm slashed and lots of blood gushed out from it.

“Even the vulcaniser’s machine fell inside the gutter because the zinc from the roof flew to his direction and damaged a car that was parked beside him.”

The vulcaniser, Thomas, corroborated her account as he narrated the ordeal to The ICIR.

“i was working when the breeze started. I started packing my machines because I thought it would be just rain, then suddenly we heard a noise, and by the time we knew what was going on, we saw the roof of the terminal flying around. Before I could finish packing, the zinc fell my machine into the gutter. A car that was parked beside me got damaged, and a man who was riding a bicycle got his arm slashed too.”

When asked if the damages affected their sales and business inflow, he said, “Market and sales aren’t constant, but my sales have reduced since yesterday.” he noted.

The ICIR reports that a statement released by Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike, stated that no casualties or property losses were recorded.

“From preliminary reports, no one was injured, and no vehicle was damaged,” the statement claimed.

However, eyewitnesses spoken to by The ICIR contradict the statement. Several traders at the terminal said that a vehicle was damaged, their businesses disrupted and someone’s arm was slashed when the windstorm tore the facility apart.

Backstory

On Tuesday, April 7, a windstorm, accompanied by rainfall, damaged a multi-billion bus terminal, a project by the Federal Capital Territory Development Agency under the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, which was commissioned in June 2025.

Before this incident, residents and commuters had complained about delays in the take off of the terminal. The transportation difficulties and the increment in fuel price added to this.

This incident has left residents worried as they had believed that once operational, their movements will be seamless but are now left with uncertainty as they don’t know when the project will be utilised now that it’s damaged.

Prior to this rainstorm, a video by Premium Times circulated earlier this year showing leaks in the roof of the recently completed terminal. This raised concerns about the structure and quality of the building.

The ICIR also observed that the multi-billion-naira terminal, which was expected to be filled with buses and other facilities to aid transportation, was largely empty. There was no furniture, not even a plastic chair, despite the building having been commissioned since last year

Security operatives obstruct journalists and residents

Officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, harassed journalists for documenting and taking images of the scene.

The situation escalated when officials attempted to confiscate equipment, including drones and cameras, from TVC and News Central correspondents.

A policewoman threatened to send Juliet, a food seller with a stall in front of the terminal, away for responding to The ICIR reporter’s question.

The officer’s name couldn’t be identified but her image was captured.

The incident raised further questions among residents as no houses in the area were affected except the bus terminal.

One of Juliet’s customers stated: “My house that’s incomplete, nothing happened to it, but this one that the government constructed got ruined. How?”

His development raises concerns about the execution and quality of construction and whether the facility met required standards as other uncompleted buildings nearby were untouched.

Residents said it was a terrible incident, aside from the fact that they couldn’t move freely when the incident happened due to debris blocking the roads, they expressed concern about their safety.

Citizens call for Wike’s arrest

Meanwhile, citizens have asked for the arrest of the minister after the collapse of the Kugbo bus terminal in their reactions to the FCT Minister’s earlier directive on the arrest of collapsed building owner in Jikwoyi.

The ICIR reports that earlier on April 7, 2026, Wike ordered the arrest of the owner of a building that collapsed on Good Friday, April 3, in Jikwoyi area of the FCT and directed that the land be revoked.

According to the statement issued by his office, the building was under construction without approval, despite stop-work notices from the Development Control Department, which were ignored by the developer.

Wike emphasised the need for strict compliance with building regulations, stating that any structure without approval would be demolished, while defaulters would be arrested and prosecuted.

“I have always said this, go to the Development Control to get approval, let them know what you are building, the quality of materials, and they will supervise it from one stage to another… Anywhere you see a building going on without approval, report to the government and we shall prosecute those who refuse to get approvals”, he said.

However, the development raises questions about consistency in enforcement and accountability, especially in light of the damage to the government-constructed Kugbo Bus Terminal.

The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of the other two bus terminals awaiting commissioning by the Minister.

The questions are about whether similar standards of construction and oversight are being applied, especially as the three terminals together cost ₦51 billion and one of them got damaged after just a single windstorm.

Civil engineer weighs in

The ICIR reached out to a civil engineer, Oladapo Idowu, to comment on the damage at the Kugbo Bus Terminal.

“A standard, properly installed metal roof of a commercial building like the Kugbo Bus Terminal should be able to withstand winds of at least 90 to 140 mph, roughly 145 to 225 kilometres per hour, before sustaining major damage as observed. Ordinary rain or a breeze would not be able to rip off large sections of the roof,” she said.

On whether the damage could be due to poor construction materials, design flaws, or installation issues rather than just the weather, he explained, “Structurally, metal roofing systems, particularly the trusses, are designed to resist uplift, which is the suction force created when high-speed air passes over a roof. If a roof fails at lower speeds, it usually points to poor installation or poor material quality.

“This could include insufficient or low-quality fasteners, such as screws, welds, or clips; improper anchoring of the roof to the main structural frame; or poorly secured edges or ridges where the wind can get hold of the metal and rip it off,” he stressed.

On the measures authorities should take to ensure that other government-owned terminals are safe before commissioning, he said, “Authorities must implement strict safety and quality control measures for other government-owned terminals. Independent structural audits should be conducted by certified engineers to verify the structural integrity of newly constructed terminals, particularly the roof structures. Material testing and verification are also critical to ensure that steelwork and roofing meet approved quality standards and are not substandard.”

He concluded that environmental stress tests should be performed to ensure structural stability against weather conditions, especially in light of the Kugbo terminal being damaged by a windstorm shortly after rainfall.