Ongoing construction
of the Apo/Wasa dual carriageway bridge on Monday
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FCTA PRESS RELEASE
KUGBO BUS TERMINAL INCIDENT IS A NATURAL DISASTER - FCT MINISTER
…AS HE REFUTES CLAIM OF DENYING ADC VENUE FOR ITS CONVENTION
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has described the recent damage at the Kugbo Bus Terminal as a natural disaster, clarifying that the incident was caused by a severe windstorm rather than structural failure.
Barr. Wike who made the remarks while addressing journalists on Monday, April 13, 2026 following an extensive inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects, also debunked insinuations that the Kugbo Bus Terminal collapsed.
He pointed out that only the roof was damaged due to an intense weather event, stressing that the terminal’s elevated location on a hill also made it particularly vulnerable to the severe windstorm experienced during a recent heavy rainfall.
The Minister said, "The kind of wind we saw, we have never imagined. Remember, that the bus terminal at Kugbo is on top of the hill and it is higher than all the buildings you see there. That wind blew off the roofing sheets. They did not use ordinary wood for the roof. They used steel. To tell you how strong that wind was, it took off all the roofing sheets. But it did not affect the main structure. It’s just the roofing sheet”.
Responding to calls for contractor sanctions, the Minister defended the construction quality, noting that the incident was due to an extreme weather event, similar to what is seen globally. "Why will I sanction them? Assuming the building collapsed, then I will talk about sanctioning the contractor. But this is nature. There was nothing the contractor could have done to avert that incident".
Speaking on the projects he inspected, including the OSEX main carriageways, local streets within the Gaduwa District and access roads to the Wasa Informal Sector, Barr. Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress and quality of work.
He stated that the contractor handling the OSEX main carriageways, China Geo-Engineering Construction (CGC) has assured that the project would be ready for commissioning in May, while the work on the access road within Gaduwa would soon be completed. Additionally, he directed the installation of protective mesh to prevent encroachment on the internal road corridors in Gaduwa, while work on street lightening was ongoing.
On the Wasa informal sector access road, the Minister explained that the infrastructure work would also be completed by the end of May and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fulfilling a long-standing promise to relocate the Apo Mechanic traders.
He said, “Previous governments promised the Apo Mechanic traders that they are going to relocate them from where they are but didn’t. I thank God that this administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been able to fulfill it. I’m sure that everybody is happy that the Apo Mechanics will leave where they are and come to this place. We are providing the infrastructure needed and you have also seen that the company, China Geo-Engineering Construction (CGC) has promised that by the end of May, it would have been completed and then we start working on how the informal sector and Apo Mechanic village will move into the place”.
Barr. Wike also used the occasion to debunk claims that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was denied a venue in the FCT for its national convention, maintaining that no formal application or letter was received by his office or the Abuja Investment Company to use the Eagle Square or any other venue within the FCT.
“Who denied them? I am not aware of any such development, and I don’t even know which party you are referring to. If it is the ADC, such claims are their usual attempt to gain public sympathy”, the Minister stated.
He further clarified that the Velodrome which the PDP used for its convention was managed by the National Sports Commission, not his office, noting that both the PDP and APC have paid to use public venues in the past. He emphasized that there is no reason to block anyone from holding a convention, as long as they followed due process and pay the required fees, which, in turn helps fund public projects.
“As I speak to you, nobody has written any letter. I don’t know the venue they are talking about. Let’s even assume that it’s the Eagle Square, nobody wrote any letter to use the Eagle Square. There is no way we will deny them because we will collect revenue from that. Nobody has written to us.
“I am not in charge of the Velodrome because that’s under the National Sports Commission. Even when the PDP did their own Convention, we applied to the Sports Commission and we paid. Even when APC took the Eagle Square, they paid. So, nobody has written to us. Why would we stop them from holding their convention? If they pay, we will have the money to do our projects. As far as I’m concerned, we don’t have any reason to deny people venues to use for their convention”, the Minister stressed.
More Pictures and Captions
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R-L) Deputy Managing Director, CGC,, Lv Haiming, FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, Executive Secretary FCDA, Engr Richard Yunana Dauda and CGC's Managing Director, Marketing, Hong Chong during the Minister's inspection of Wasa Informal Sector access road on Monday |
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| An aerial view of the Wasa Informal Sector access road under construction on Monday |
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PRESS
(OFFICE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER)
13/04/2026
FCTA/ODP/PR/825
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