Residents of Bode Saadu, the headquarters of Moro Local Government Area in Kwara State, were left in shock on Thursday morning following heavy rainfall the night before.
The floodwaters surged overnight, submerging the bridge that connects Bode Saadu to Jebba and trapped residents in their homes.
The torrential rain caused widespread damage, displacing scores of residents and destroying properties estimated to worth millions of naira.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye, to find out the efforts being made by the government over the issue, he did not answer his calls or reply to the message sent to him.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Kwara State Government, through the Commissioner for Communication Bola Olukoju, urged residents to take the various flood alerts being released seriously.
The commissioner said enlightenment efforts and precautionary measures were being implemented by the government and traditional institutions.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Olukoju noted that various government agencies have conducted several public enlightenment programmes on flooding and how to mitigate its impacts in flood-prone areas.
“More of such programmes are ongoing, including through radio stations and community leaders. The government has desilted many drainages and water passages within the metropolis while discouraging actions that may exacerbate the threats of climate change and rising water levels,” she said.
“In riverine communities like Patigi and Edu, our royal fathers have continued to engage with residents in flood-prone areas to relocate to designated safe zones. We appeal to our people to follow this important advisory as the government supports them in various ways.”
The statement also noted that the state government will continue to advocate for the dredging of the River Niger, which is seen as a permanent solution to the persistent flooding in the region.
