HUMAN WASTE OVERFLOWS ABUJA POPULAR BANKING AREA AS AEPB DEMAND 130,000 BRIBE TO EVACUATE SEWAGE
Soni Daniel, Abuja
A major environmental hazard is currently threatening residents, workers, and visitors in the bustling Area 7 banking district of Garki, Abuja, following the leakage of a critical sewage line in the heart of the business hub.
The sewage, located between the Vanguard office and a commercial bank, has been discharging human waste and emitting a noxious stench after its protective enamel cover was reportedly stolen several weeks ago. The resulting spillage has significantly affected foot traffic and disrupted banking activities in the area.
On Tuesday afternoon, two men identifying themselves as officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) arrived at the scene. Instead of initiating cleanup efforts, the individuals demanded a payment of N130,000 as a precondition to evacuate the waste. They claimed the funds were necessary to enable them to take “personal measures” to clear the sewage, citing long delays in official responses from their office.
When pressed to provide a written request or formal documentation for the payment, the self-proclaimed officials became agitated and threatened to abandon the site unless their demand was met. They reportedly dismissed the suggestion that waste management was their official responsibility, even after being shown proof that Vanguard had paid the statutory N187,050 refuse disposal fee to AEPB on May 27, 2025.
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<p>The men allegedly insisted that no cleanup would be carried out unless the bribe was paid, stating that official intervention could take a month or longer.</p>
<p>The incident has raised concerns about recurring exploitation linked to this particular sewage line, which has been prone to theft and overflow in recent years. In a previous case, similar individuals demanded N100,000 from area businesses but were eventually reported to the AEPB, which responded by evacuating the waste.</p>
<p>It remains unclear whether the two men involved in the latest incident are bona fide AEPB staff or imposters posing as agency personnel. Their conduct has renewed calls for the AEPB and relevant authorities to investigate and address extortion tactics that further endanger public health and safety.</p>
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