A fresh controversy has erupted in the Federal Capital Territory after a lawyer and journalist, Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, publicly accused the spokesperson to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, of threatening her with arrest in a private message over a social media post discussing water scarcity in Abuja.
The allegation surfaced in a video shared online in which Giwa-Osagie explained that she had made a post about the persistent shortage of water across parts of the Federal Capital Territory and referenced claims that have circulated in media reports suggesting that water from the Lower Usuma Dam may be diverted to a private agricultural facility known as Jordan Farms. According to her account, the post drew a direct reaction from Olayinka, who allegedly entered her private messages and warned that she could face arrest over the claims.
The development has quickly drawn attention because it touches on two sensitive issues at once: the worsening water crisis in the capital and the relationship between public officials and journalists raising questions about government accountability.
Abuja’s water supply challenges have been widely reported over the past year. Residents in several districts including Gwarinpa, Apo, Durumi, Lugbe and parts of the city centre have repeatedly complained of dry taps and irregular supply, sometimes lasting days. In many neighborhoods, households have resorted to buying water from tanker operators or drilling private boreholes, pushing the cost of basic living even higher in a city already struggling with rising inflation.
Officials within the FCT administration have previously acknowledged that the water system has been under pressure due to infrastructure challenges. In 2025, authorities explained that rehabilitation work at treatment facilities temporarily reduced the capacity of the city’s water supply network, forcing rationing across districts while repairs were ongoing.
However, alongside those technical explanations, another claim has lingered in public discourse: the allegation that significant volumes of water may be diverted to Jordan Farms, a large agricultural facility located around Ushafa near the Lower Usuma Dam, the primary water source for Abuja.
Earlier investigative reports cited unnamed sources who alleged that large quantities of water from the dam were directed toward the farm for irrigation, raising questions about whether supply intended for public distribution was being redirected. These reports also referenced speculation about the ownership of the farm, with some claims suggesting possible links to individuals connected to the FCT administration.
Those allegations have been strongly rejected by the minister’s office. Lere Olayinka has previously dismissed reports tying the farm to the minister or his family, describing the claims as false and politically motivated. He has also argued that corporate records exist to verify the ownership structure of companies associated with the name Jordan Farms.
Despite those denials, the issue has remained a topic of discussion among residents, particularly in communities close to the dam who say water supply has become increasingly unreliable while agricultural activities around the area appear to continue uninterrupted.
It was within this broader context that Giwa-Osagie said she made her social media post. In the video, she maintained that she merely referenced information already circulating in the public domain through news reports and conversations among residents, adding that citizens living in the FCT have a legitimate right to question how public resources such as water are managed.
Her decision to release the video followed what she described as a threatening message from the minister’s spokesperson, which she interpreted as an attempt to intimidate her for raising the issue publicly.
The exchange has since triggered debate online, with some observers raising concerns about press freedom and the ability of journalists to question government actions without fear of intimidation. Others argue that government officials also have the right to challenge information they consider inaccurate or defamatory.
For many Abuja residents, however, the larger issue remains the ongoing water shortage itself. Access to reliable water is central to daily life in the capital, affecting households, hospitals, restaurants, schools and small businesses. When supply fails, residents often spend significant amounts each week purchasing water from private vendors.
Urban planners and water experts have long warned that Abuja’s water infrastructure faces growing strain as the city’s population expands rapidly beyond the capacity originally designed for the capital decades ago. Aging pipelines, limited treatment capacity and administrative bottlenecks in maintenance have all been cited as contributing factors to the recurring shortages.
The latest controversy, however, highlights how the crisis has evolved beyond infrastructure alone. It has now entered the realm of public accountability and transparency, where questions about management of water resources are increasingly being asked in both media reports and public discussions.
Whether the allegations about water diversion hold merit remains a matter of dispute, with officials denying the claims and critics calling for clearer explanations backed by verifiable data.
But the incident involving the alleged DM warning has added a new layer to the debate, raising questions about how government representatives respond when citizens and journalists raise concerns about essential public services.
For many residents of the Federal Capital Territory, the central issue remains simple: while the arguments continue, the taps across much of the city are still running dry.
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