Motorists and residents in several areas of Ibadan, including Lalupon, Ejioku, Olodo Garage, and Olodo Bank, were left stranded as a connecting bridge collapsed during a heavy downpour on Sunday. The resultant flood caused extensive damage to property worth millions of naira in the Oyo State capital.
The heavy downpour, which began on Sunday afternoon and continued into the late night, led to flooding in many parts of Ibadan. Vehicles and houses were submerged, forcing residents to abandon their homes for safety.
One stranded resident, Fashina, shared his experience of being unable to access his house due to the flood. He chose to sleep at the roadside instead of risking his life trying to cross the overflowing bridge. As he was inside a commercial vehicle, he noticed the flood had overwhelmed the bridge, prompting him to ask the driver to drop him off.
The situation worsened when everyone realized that the bridge had collapsed. Authorities from the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) arrived at the scene to ensure orderliness.
In another incident, residents of Ido Local Council in Oyo State also faced significant losses due to flooding after heavy rainfall on Friday. The downpour affected the livelihoods of hundreds of residents in Omi Adio, Ido, and Apata.
The heavy rain caused damage to vehicles and buildings at Omi Adio market, and farmlands and fish ponds were washed away by the flood. Farmers in the area, such as Festus Adesina and Isiaka Kamorudeen, lost their fish farms and all the fishes in their ponds, resulting in significant financial losses.
Alhaja Alimot Adeleke, a trader, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to assist the victims, as she lost bags of garri, cassava flour, and other food items. The flood had been sustaining her family of four since her husband’s demise, and the losses have left her in a precarious situation.
