Date: 2018-04-04

PROPERTY worth millions of naira in both residential and public buildings in Ilorin, Kwara state were destroyed by a late Tuesday evening rainstorm accompanied by a windstorm.

Affected areas in the metropolis included Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Adewole, Alore, Oloje, Ogidi, Gaa-Akanbi, Okolowo, River Basin and Zango communities, just as the state capital had experienced power outage since Tuesday evening.

It was also gathered that a portion of the roof of the popular Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin was blown off, while a mast erected within the premises of Zenith Bank, Unity Road also fell on the roofs of houses beside the bank, causing serious damages.

Also damaged by the rainstorm were public utilities, including the multi-million naira scoreboard at the main bowl of the Kwara State Stadium complex as well as fallen masts, billboards which blocked main roads, leading to heavy traffic build up in the state capital.

Officials of the state's road transport management agency (KWARTMA) as well as the Kwara State Signage and Advertising Agency (KWASAA) were deployed to clear the debris and restore traffic flow.

Speaking on the development, Manager of the Kwara State Stadium complex, Mr Wale Obalola, said that it was the grace of God that saved many lives during the heavy storm that accompanied the rain.

He said that the storm completely damaged the ultra-modern scoreboard and the whole of the western perimeter fence of the old wing of the main bowl. The storm also affected the fence along Sultan Road, the indoor sports hall, the referee secretariat and several offices", he said.

Two directional billboards mounted along upper Taiwo road, Ilorin were also destroyed, while one of the billboards trapped a moving Mazda taxi car with the passengers sustaining injuries. The windstorm also blew off roofs of many residential houses located at Sultan road, off Ibrahim Taiwo road, while shops and electricity poles were also destroyed.