Guzape Estate Residents Petition Wike Over Alleged Illegal Blasting, Canal Encroachment

Guzape Estate Residents Petition Wike Over Alleged Illegal Blasting, Canal Encroachment

Residents of KYC Estate in Guzape District of the Federal Capital Territory have petitioned the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over alleged persistent rock blasting and the filling of a water channel in the area.

The residents said the activities have damaged several buildings and could expose the estate to serious flooding.
They made the appeal at a press briefing held in Abuja within the week.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Mr. Adango Jumbo and Prince Joseph Kpokpogri, said the blasting has continued in spite of a legal notice served on the estate management over a month ago.

Kpokpogri, who owns Plot 1785, Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape District, said his property has been worst hit by the exercise.
“My property has for some time now been subjected to the effects of rock blasting activity carried out by parties operating in the vicinity,” Kpokpogri said.

He said the impact of the blasting has caused extensive damage to his building. According to him, the blasting has led to “significant structural damage, including a collapsed and destroyed POP ceiling, shattered glass panels, cracked walls, and compromised windows and doors throughout the building.”

The residents also complained about environmental pollution caused by the exercise. They said the blasting had “generated persistent noise pollution and dust, disrupting the peaceful enjoyment of the property and, by extension, the health and wellbeing of its occupants.” The residents, through their solicitors, Ajunwa & Co., had on August 12, 2026, written to the Chairman of KYC Estate, demanding immediate stoppage of the blasting.

In the letter, which cited violations of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board Act, 1997, they demanded that the blasting should stop “within two days of receipt” of the notice.
The solicitors also demanded the payment of N100 million as compensation for the damage and “the physical and psychological distress caused to the occupants of the property.”

The residents disclosed that after receiving the letter, the Chairman of the estate sent workers to the affected property to carry out repairs, including fixing the damaged ceiling.
They described the action as “a clear and implicit acknowledgment of the damage the blasting activity has caused, damage that is not in dispute, but veritable and plain to see.”

They however expressed worry that the blasting has not stopped despite the repairs. “Its continuation raises serious concerns about accountability and the willingness of those responsible to engage constructively in resolving this matter,” the residents said.

Apart from the blasting, the residents also raised concern over the alleged filling of a drainage canal behind their property. They linked the development to Deansgate Trio Services Nigeria Limited, which they said holds an Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy over Plot 1803, Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape, dated October 29, 2024.

The residents said the action contradicts the position of the FCT Minister against encroachment on waterways and green areas. They recalled that Wike had earlier ordered the demolition of an estate in Guzape for illegal construction on a green area.

“The filling of the canal behind our property, if allowed to continue unchecked, not only threatens to obstruct the natural passage of stormwater and increase the risk of flooding in the area, but also exposes the property and its surroundings to the very kind of regulatory action, including demolition, that the FCT Administration has consistently carried out against similar infractions elsewhere in the territory,” the residents said.

They called on the company and relevant regulatory agencies to urgently intervene, warning that they would not relent in seeking redress. “We will not relent in seeking full redress for the damage caused and in ensuring that this activity is brought to a permanent end,” they said, adding that they reserve the right to seek further legal remedies.

In his reaction, the developer, Mr. Michael Auta Ayuba, dismissed the allegations. Ayuba said he had been operating in the area since 2019, long before the complainants built their houses.

He said he had earlier advised the new residents to suspend construction until the blasting was completed, but they ignored the advice. He also insisted that his operations were legal and duly approved. According to him, the blasting was “controlled blasting” and was routinely supervised by relevant agencies, including security personnel.

On the alleged filling of a canal, Ayuba said he has a valid allocation from the FCT Administration and that the water channel had been properly mapped.
He said the area is a large expanse of land separated by a stream and not a canal as claimed by the petitioners.