Black Sunday in Ilorin: 17-yr-old, 2 others confirmed dead as heavy downpour renders thousands homeless

By Mumini AbdulKareem, Ahmed Ajikobi, Mike Adeyemi, Sulyman Jimoh
It was a sad Sunday for residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital yesterday as a midnight downpour visited incalculable destruction on lives and property of the citizens.
The rainstorm which started around past 10:00pm with heavy wind damaged many residential buildings, shops and stalls blowing off rooftops as well as electricity poles and rendered thousands homeless.
Property worth several millions of naira were also destroyed leaving residents to count their losses in its wake.
Most parts of the city were still in darkness without electricity supply several hours after the incident while residents engaged technicians to help retrieve fallen electricity cables that littered many streets.
Three persons were confirmed dead by the Kwara State Fire Service when National Pilot contacted the spokesman, Hassan Adekunle last night including a seventeen year old girl simply identified as Wasilat from Oniyangi compound whose body was recovered at Asa bridge, along Emir’s Road, Ilorin.
According to Adekunle, another casualty was recorded at Ita-Egba area, Ilorin who sources said was a puff puff seller that was hit in the head by a metal container raised from the ground and thrown at him by rainstorm.
The identity of the third casualty could not be ascertained last night before the paper went to bed. But it was gathered that his corpse was reportedly washed away around Oko-Erin bridge in Ilorin metropolis.
“The Kwara State Fire Service has been attending to several Rescue Operations across the state since the heavy downpour which had badly destroyed many lives and property.
“Part of our operation, was the rescue work carried out Opposite C&S Church Muritala Area, Ilorin, where seven men were rescued alive and taken to the State General Hospital (Surulere) for further medical checkups.
“Our efforts also received special assistance from the Commissioner for works and Transport, Alhaji Suleiman Iliasu in communicating with the appropriate channels to receiving the casualties.
“The Director State Fire Service Alhaji Waheed Yakub urged the general public to always play safe especially during this period of incessant downpour”, Adekunle further added.
Mostly affected areas are Taiwo area, Oja Iya, Ita-Ogunbo, Popo-Igbana, Adabata, Omoda, Oja-Tuntun, Alfa Yahaya, Oke-Fomo Area, Agbo-Oba, Idi- Ape, Adewole and Olorunsogo.
Other areas are Apalara, Akerebiata, Okelele, Idi-Ape, Okekere, Oju Ekun, Osere, Alagbado, Ayegbami-Dada, Dada community, and Oloje among others.
Cross section of victims who spoke to National Pilot lamented the havoc wreaked by the rainstorm on their property.
According the Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Saliu Woru Mohammed, the rainstorm wrecked serious havoc on his school, Shehu Ibrahim Gambari Arabic Institute around Oja-Iya removing the whole and destroyed substantial part of the building.
Abdulateef Anafi Idi-Ope of Isale Aluko, Ita Ogunbo, said the heavy downpour which was accompanied by fierce wind pulled down many electrical installations in the area.
He recounted that the roof of his house was blown off, hence, rendering his homeless, while his son was injured and presently on admission in an undisclosed hospital.
He therefore appealed to the state government and well meaning individuals to come to the aid of victims to alleviate their sufferings.
Similarly, a victim, Alhaji Idris Sulyman Orisankoko of Popo Igbana Ilorin, in an emotion laden voice told one of our reporters that he lost everything to the unfortunate incident.
“I am so devastated right now, as my family has been rendered homeless as a result of the rainstorm,” he lamented.
Alhaji Bibi Ashela of Ile Onilali’s who ordeal is not didferent from that of the other victims, also enjoined the state government to come to aid of victims.
Speaking to one of our reporters, Sulaiman Issa of Oke Fomo said almost all the houses in the area were destroyed.
Sebutu Abdulafeez of Idi Ape disclosed that no fewer than 30 houses were badly affected by the rainstorm in the area, adding that many shops at the One Fomo market had their roofs blown off.
A businessman, Shittu Alabi of Atiku road, Adewole said he lost goods worth N500,000 to the heavy downpour.
Speaking to this medium, a widow, Iyabo Joke, a resident of Akerebiata lamented that she has lost all what she has to the havoc.
“I’m a widow who sells pap, which I use to feed my children. I want the Kwara State Government to come to my aid as I am left with nothing,” she said.
Another resident of the area, Basirat Jamiu described the down pour as unfortunate incident as she lost goods worth millions to the rainstorm.
At Okelele, a trader, Kazeem Abdulwahab said he has run into debt as all his bags of cement were destroyed by flood.
“I have lost over N500,000 to this havoc. I want the Kwara State Government to come to my assistant as I have lost all I have to this disaster, Kazeem stressed.
At Apalara, another victim, Sulaimon Olodo said the heavy down pour has rendered him helpless.
“I’m a father of five who is struggling to make end meets. I got to my shop this morning all to discover that I have lost all my goods to the rainstorm.
Another widow, Rasidat Abdulrauf appealed to the state government to help her as the disaster has rendered her homeless.
“I am a widow. I lost my husband many years ago and the only shelter he bequeathed to me was on Saturday destroyed by heavy rainstorm.
“As I speak with you now, I have no roof to put my head. I want the Kwara State Government to come to my aid,” she lamented.
National Pilot also gathered that criminals tool advantage of the heavy rainfall to burgle shops in Atiku road area of Adewole.
Meanwhile, former Senate President and Waziri of Ilorin Emirate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has commiserated with the victims of the heavy rainstorm in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital and its environs.
Saraki expressed sadness over the havoc caused by the late night downpour on several households in the metropolis and its environs, describing the natural disaster as unfortunate and regrettable.
A statement by Saraki’s Press Officer (Local Matters), Abdulganiyu Abdulquadri, said the Waziri of Ilorin received news of the destruction caused by Saturday’s heavy downpour in Ilorin and neighbouring communities with sadness.
“The destruction caused by the rainstorm is unfortunate and regrettable. Dr Bukola Saraki offers his deep sympathy to all those whose houses and other valuables were destroyed by the rainstorm.
“He also urges residents of Ilorin and other parts of Kwara to cognisance of the fact that the rains are here and should take concrete efforts to protect their lives and valuables,” the statement added.
Also the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has commiserated with the victims of the devastating windstorm.
“The Governor is saddened by the havoc wreaked on various households in Ilorin, the state capital, and indeed elsewhere across the state by the heavy rain storm. He sends his heartfelt commiseration and a message of hope to such families in this trying time,” the governor’s chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye said in a statement.
“As part of his proactive measures to mitigate the effect of this natural disaster which had been predicted by the NIMET, the governor had last week visited various Federal Government agencies including the NEMA to seek special relief for Kwara. The state government is again urging the Federal Government to urgently consider Kwara State for special support.
“The governor, for his part, is immediately setting up a special disaster response team to collate data of areas affected and determine how the state government can offer support based on available resources. That response team will be announced shortly .
“The Governor is also aware of the damage to electric poles during the storm. He has directed relevant agencies to quickly fix the poles as soon as possible to avoid further damage and ensure the restoration of power services”, the statement said.
In his remark, Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly, Engr Yakubu Danladi-Salihu said “I sympathize with victims of rainstorm that ravaged several homes in virtually all Ilorin communities and other parts of Kwara.
“In collaboration with our National Assembly contingents, we will facilitate succor for the affected buildings to ensure it doesn’t render scores homeless.
“Just last week, the 9th Kwara Assembly had raised issues bothering on preventing environmental disaster and called on relevant agencies to ensure strict adherence to environment laws to avoid this kind of emergency, especially at the period of heavy downpour. I want to also reiterate the need for
Kwarans to own all government projects and take responsibility for environmental preservation.
“We must henceforth, desist from any act that will cause deforestation and drainage blockage, and report any errant member of the public to the appropriate authority. It is my prayer that Almighty Allah comfort everyone affected by the natural disaster”, he added.
For his part, the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association (IEYDA) has called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the federal Kwara state government to quickly come to the aid of the victims of the windstorm.
The call was contained in a statement signed by the association’s national president, Alh Abdullahi Salaudeen and the national publicity Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Jagunma.
The association said government’s intervention became necessary” especially during this period that coronavirus pandemic as paralyzed business activities in the country.”
It appealed to the state government, cooperate organizations and individuals to urgently make provisions for those affected by the heavy rainfall because the incident has made them homeless.
It urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ecological Fund, and related agencies to be proactive in tackling the menace of flooding in the country.