Date: 2017-05-29

Three communities in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital have been left recounting their losses following heavy downpour on Friday which wrecked havoc on property worth N5million.

National Pilot gathered during a tour around some part of the state that heavy rain which started at around 9pm dislodged some residents from their homes and shops while also causing traffic gridlock

At Harmony Estate road, Sango area, Irepodun, Idi-Igba/Were/Irepodun, all in Akerebiata area, the flood damaged some portions of the road, removing the asphalt layer and dumping it in the drainage and frontage of residential buildings.

While some of the community leaders and residents around Harmony Estate faulted the road contractor for using low quality materials for the road project, others accused the owner of Sirfak petrol station for blocking the passage of water with his structure.

The Chairman of Irepodun/Akarabiata area, Alhaji Ahmed Abdulrahman said, "This road is poorly constructed and the major cause of the erosion is the Sirfak petrol station which they have refused to demolish for some years now".

Also, the Chairman Idi-Igba/Were Community, Alhaji Abdulfatah Gatta who disclosed that his house and car were affected noted that he lost property worth N1.3 million to the flooding. In the same vein, a shop owner, Issa Mosobalaje lamented that five of his shops were affected and property worth millions consumed.

"As you can see, these set of generators, fans, refrigerator and electronics have been badly affected. All we can say is to plead to the government to come to our rescue."

According to a resident, Abdulrahman Tunde Kannike over 100 houses, and 40 cars including commercial vehicles plying the road were affected. "The owners of some of the affected vehicles were here this morning to tow their cars. This is a big issue that the government should help us to look into." In a related development, the flooding swept in its path, a Volkswagen gulf car and Ford jeep from a mechanic shop at Oja-Iya before dumping the badly damage vehicles at Ikokoro area.

Speaking with this medium, yesterday, the mechanic Tunde Alabi said the vehicles worth over a million naira and urged the state government to come to his rescue. Also at Ita-Amodu area, a shop owner who sells mattress, David Obiagwu, while recounting his loss said goods worth N1.3 million were damaged including the building.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has made known its intention to carry out intervention on roads and facilities affected by the heavy downpour in the state capital.

The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Aro Yahaya made this known when he inspected the affected areas, including the culvert at Alagbado, which links to Sobi Specialist hospital, as well as Akerebiata and Kuntu-Oja roads on Saturday.

Yahaya said that while the incidents at Akerebiata and Kuntu were man-made disasters caused by indiscriminate dumping of refuse and deliberate blockage of drainages others are natural disasters.

The Commissioner stated that in view of the importance of the roads to the residents of the areas, the state government will immediately implement palliative measures at the bridge and the affected roads pending the release of funds approved by the Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed for that purpose.

Yahaya also warned residents of the state to desist from dumping refuse into the drains, stressing that the impact of such act can be threatening to lives and property.