Abuja midnight flood kills top intelligence officer, two others

A top intelligence official of the Department of State Service (DSS) was on Sunday night killed by a Flash flood in Trademore on the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Expressway, popularly known as Airport Road, Abuja.

According to the reports, the flood also killed three others persons, swept 26 cars and aw well affecting 166 houses within the neighbourhood.

The DSS top executive was said to have gone out to get drugs from a pharmacy while it was raining.

Residents in the area tried unsuccessfully to dissuade the DSS operator from driving through the flooded area, but their warning came too late.

One of the residents told Daily Independent; “Lives lost. Homes destroyed. Businesses ruined. Cars were uprooted and carried away and families were rendered homeless.

“A man in a Rover was reportedly swept by the flood into the bridge by the Police Station and was found dead.

“A young lady who served out her NYSC in an office years ago is looking for the car she parked outside last night. Probably her biggest investment is from savings and loans.

“The owner of a Supermarket in the estate had his home and cars destroyed, his family has moved into the supermarket for shelter.

All the goods in Prognosis Pharmacy and Supermarket is out on the street this morning damaged by the flood. That has been the reality in Trademore Estate for some years now.

“Last (Sunday) night’s flood is arguably the worst since the over 10 years history of flood in the estate.

“Last year, the video of a man swept away by the flood went viral. The Minister of State for the FCT visited, shared mattresses, cooking gas and cartons of noodles to families affected. No lasting solution was sought.

“This year, as more estates crop up in and around Trademore Estate, a more devastating disaster has occurred.

“Blames are flying around on why the flood was more devastating than ever. They say the government opened the dams last night and so did the resultant flood.

“Some say it is the wall recently built on Imo Street as part of security measures to prevent the infiltration of herders that caused the flood. Another said the developer had recently sand-filled areas that should be waterways and attempted to build on them, thus the resultant flood.

“My observation is that the key problem is the houses built on the waterways by the estate developer. The houses had been marked for demolition in the past, but there was no enforcement possibly because there was no compensation for affected families.

“NEMA van and staff were seen this morning (Monday) at 10 am directing traffic and moving round affected homes. FCDA Development Control will soon follow. Will a lasting solution be proffered? Will the necessary political will be mustered to follow through? We can’t be silent on this.”

(Courtesy Daily Independent: Excluding headline)