09102019 - 2020: Buhari presents N10.33trn job creation budget to NASS

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019—7
Flood wreaks havoc on Edo,
Ekiti, Osun, Ondo communities
By Dayo Johnson,
Rotimi Ojomoyela,
Akpokona Omafuaire,
Alemma Aliu & Shina
Abubakar
A DO-EKITI—SEVERAL
hours of rain-induced flood,
yesterday, kept many residents of
Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Edo states
indoors, with a final year student
of Adekunle Ajasin University,
Akungba Akoko, Ondo State,
reportedly swept away.
Three other students were
rescued, just as business activities
were brought to an abrupt halt in
the reported states.
The late undergraduate, Doyin
Boluwade, a student of Religious
Studies Department, was
reportedly swept away by a
torrential rainfall Monday
evening in the university town.
Divers employed to fish out the
remains of Doyin Boluwade were
still at it at press time, yesterday.
Vanguard gathered that the
deceased was trying to escape
from the flood that entered her
residence when she was swept
away at about 6:30p.m. on
Monday.
Reports had it that the
deceased, a native of Ekiti State,
lived close to a canal at Ibaka
quarters.
The landlord, Elemukona
Ademola, who narrowly escaped
from being swept away, said he
had to climb a cocoa tree to avoid
the flood.
Eyewitnesses said the
landlords in the area had tried
effortlessly to control the erosion
from the canal until the flood
became uncontrollable, Monday.
Spokesperson of the institution,
Victor Akinpelumi, confirmed the
incident and said the
management staff of the
university had visited the
residence to assess the incident.
Reports had it that the parents
of the deceased had arrived in the
community after the news got to
them.
Police image-maker in the state,
Femi Joseph, confirmed the
incident noting that the three
students that were rescued have
been taken to the university health
centre for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the monarch of the
town, the Alale of Akungba, Oba
Sunday Adeyeye Ojimo, and the
Seriki Muslimi of Akungbaland,
Chief Seriki Awesu, have called
on NEMA and Ondo
government to come to the aid of
the victims whose property were
destroyed by the flood.
Ekiti
In Ekiti, the torrential rains,
which began at about 6p.m. late
on Monday, continued
ceaselessly for the greater part of
yesterday.
In the process, several areas of
the city became flooded such that
hundreds of commuters and
residents were stranded.
The state secretariat in the
•...as Ondo landlord climbed cocoa
tree to escape flood
capital, along with other
government offices witnessed low
turnout of workers, as many could
either not get to their places in
record time, or had to return
home when flooding took over
virtually every road.
Most hit was the notorious
Ureje area of the capital, asthe
bridge had collapsed last week.
Others areas include Ajilosun
area, along Ado-Akure Highway,
Flood by Adolor Junction, Benin City, Edo State, yesterday.
Onala, Ayewa, Ilupeju, all in Ado
Ekiti, Ikere Ekiti, headquarters of
Ikere LG and the federal highway,
along Aramoko Ekiti,
headquarters of Ekiti West Local
Government Area, among several
others.
Many parents were seen at the
bank of the flooded Ureje Bridge,
lamenting the whereabouts of
their children and other loved
ones.
Human ferries;
schools shut
Some street urchins, commonly
referred to as Area Boys, took
advantage of the development to
make brisk businesses by ferrying
stranded pedestrians across
flooded areas for a fee.
Similarly, in Osogbo, Osun
State, a torrential rainfall
yesterday morning destroyed
goods worth millions of naira, as
traders at Alekuwodo market
lament over their loss.
The rain also disrupted business
activities in the state capital as
some parents did not allow their
children to go to school because
of the resulting flood.
The flood overflow the boundary
of Opoopo Stream at Rasco area
at Oke-Fia in the state capital and
flooded into the Akindeko
Market at Alekuwodo area.
Traders affected at the
Alekuwodo Market disclosed that
the waters suddenly flooded the
market and nothing could be
salvaged.
Other areas affected by the early
morning flood include Awosuru,
Ayekale, Biket and Lamenco in
the state capital.
A trader affected by the flood,
who identified herself as Mrs
Anilola, said: “The last time we
witnessed such incident was
seven years ago, after which the
market was renovated and the
stream’s bank built up.”
Benin City
Also, some parts of Benin City,
the Edo State capital, was equally
flooded yesterday as a result of
early morning rain, the second in
three weeks.
Some streets off Sapele Road,
Adolor Junction by Ugbowo-
Lagos Road, Dumex also along
Sapele Road, JB Estate area
along Boundary Road and some
parts of Evbuotubu and Agboma
off Ekenwan Road, were affected.
A resident in Agboma, Elder
Sunday Idehen, yesterday
appealed to the state government
to link his area identified as Efosa
Street and Agboma to the
ongoing construction work in
Ekenwan Road to evacuate
rainwater from their area, as he
lamented that their houses were
sinking.
It is believed that the desilting
of the drainage ought to have
been done before the rains, as
some of the sand evacuated are
being washed back into the
drains.
Also, the flood brought huge
sand to the highway at the Benin-
Sapele Road by-pass forcing
motorists to divert routes.
However, the state government
has commenced the distribution
of relief materials to flood victims
in five local government areas
across the state, inluding
Igueben, Egor, Oredo, Ovia
South-West, Ikpoba-Okha and
Uhunmwonde.
Agbodobiri ravaged
Meanwhile, Agbodobiri
community in Burutu Local
Government Area of Delta State,
ravaged by flood with over 100
stranded families, have cried out
for help.
Tamaratare Igwe, community
youth leader, lamented that
Agbodobiri, headquarters of
Ugbolubiri Kingdom, has been
neglected by the state and local
government for many years.
He added that the community,
being an oil-impacted one,
deserves government attention.
... with Emma'nKen (08163121378)
And you can still sleep?
You've not been hurt
This writer deserves the
Federal GOVERNMENT of
Nigeria's full scholarship
The
girls are
angry.
Let's
leave
them
alone