Akwa Ibom Residents Protest, Block Highway as Devastating Flooding Submerges Homes in Uyo

Residents of several communities in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, staged protests on Thursday after hours of heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding that submerged homes, destroyed property and forced many families from their residences.

The protesters barricaded the busy Ikot Ekpene Road, disrupting traffic along the major highway connecting Akwa Ibom with neighbouring Abia and Cross River states as they demanded urgent government intervention.

Communities worst affected by the flooding include Nkemba, Abak Road, Ukana Offot, Port Harcourt Street, Tabernacle Road, Osongama, Nsikak Eduok Avenue and adjoining areas.

The downpour, which began on Wednesday evening, intensified in the early hours of Thursday and lasted for several hours, overwhelming drainage systems and leaving entire neighbourhoods underwater.

Residents Count Losses

Many residents said floodwaters swept into their homes, destroying furniture, electronics, household belongings and livestock.

A resident of Tabernacle Road, Udeme Ubong, lamented that years of abandoned road construction had worsened flooding in the area.

According to him, residents have endured repeated flooding for nearly eight years, forcing many to park their vehicles outside their neighbourhoods whenever heavy rains are forecast.

Ubong said he lost 462 chickens during a similar flood last year and that another round of flooding had again destroyed valuable property, leaving his family with nowhere to sleep.

He accused the state government of neglecting the community and warned that residents would march to Government House if urgent action was not taken.

Residents of Nkemba also blamed blocked drainage channels and years of inadequate maintenance for the disaster.

Some residents alleged that one person died during the flooding while two others were hospitalised, although authorities had not officially confirmed the casualties at the time of reporting.

Delayed Road Project Under Scrutiny

The flooding has renewed criticism of the delayed 2.2-kilometre Tabernacle Road project and its associated underground drainage system.

The project was first awarded in 2018 during the administration of former Governor Udom Emmanuel to Zastros Engineering Construction Company but was reportedly abandoned after only a few months of work.

Governor Umo Eno’s administration re-awarded the contract to Nsik Construction in February 2024. However, residents say progress has remained slow despite repeated assurances from the government.

Earlier this year, Governor Eno warned that the contract could be terminated if the contractor failed to complete the project within the agreed timeline.

Questions Over Flood Control Spending

The latest flooding has also raised concerns over the implementation of flood-control projects despite significant budgetary allocations.

According to available budget documents, the Akwa Ibom State Government earmarked ₦2.5 billion in the 2026 budget for drainage construction, canal desilting and flood-control projects across Uyo metropolis.

An additional ₦20.03 million was allocated to the Akwa Ibom State Road Maintenance Agency for the evacuation of debris from drainage channels.

The Tabernacle Road project has also received multiple allocations over recent years, including ₦1.58 billion in 2023, ₦1 billion in 2024 and ₦3 billion in 2025.

Government Responds

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, said the government was aware of the flooding caused by the prolonged rainfall.

He disclosed that Governor Umo Eno had directed contractors to immediately move into the worst-hit communities to carry out emergency remedial works aimed at improving the flow of stormwater.

The commissioner added that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Ministry of Environment and the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA) had been mobilised to assess the extent of the damage and determine appropriate interventions.

He also blamed indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the blockage of drainage channels for worsening flooding across the state.

Meanwhile, AKSEPWMA Chairman, Prince Ikim, explained that the ₦2.5 billion allocation for flood control in the 2026 budget should not be interpreted as funds already released for implementation.

According to him, major drainage and desilting projects are being coordinated by separate government committees headed by the Commissioner for Works and the Deputy Governor.

He maintained that desilting operations require specialised engineering work, stressing that drainage channels must first be cleared from their outfall points before work progresses upstream into the city.

The devastating flooding comes despite earlier warnings by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which predicted above-normal rainfall and increased flood risks in several states, including Akwa Ibom, during the 2026 rainy season.

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