6 die in Lagos flood as water from Ogun dam take over communities
Wed Oct 23, 2019 08:50:am National
2K By Afam Jude Offor
According to reports, residents of God First, Ajegunle and Itowolo communities in the Ikosi-Isheri and Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Areas of Lagos, had been plunged into hardship as their houses, shops and places of worship were sacked due to the release of water from the Oyan Dam. Lagos Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello has warned Lekki and Ikoyi residents that flood in their communities may not recede anytime soon. The residents alleged that some persons had drowned in the flood.
The victims of the flood were simply identified as Baba Ibeji, one Baba Michael, a yet-to-be-identified Egun man, a woman who was bitten by a snake and a mother and her baby, whose names could not be immediately ascertained. It was however gathered that the mother and her child had visited the God First community to see someone around Maidan-Orile, when the canoe conveying them capsized. According to a helmsman in the area, Chekwube Nuanya, the woman and her baby drowned, and their bodies were recovered three days after the incident. Nuanya said, “Some days ago, a woman, who wanted to see someone at Maidan-Orile, boarded a canoe, but when the helmsman got to a place, he started losing control because the paddle could not hold firm. So, the canoe was swaying on the water with the woman and her baby on board. The helmsman told the woman to use a bowl to scoop water out of the canoe, because water had already entered it. It was while doing that that the canoe capsized and they all fell into the water. The helmsman survived, while the bodies of the woman and her baby were seen floating on the water three days after. Another yet-to-be-identified woman was attempting to board a floater when she was bitten by a snake and died from its venom at the Unity Estate, Owode-Onirin. Recounting how the woman was bitten by the snake, a resident, who identified herself as Agbaje, said “the snake crawled into the floater and bit the woman. People were shouting that the part of the body, where she was bitten, should be tied to prevent the venom from spreading, but it was too late. Agbaje said the woman managed to get to her house, but her leg had started swelling and foamy substances were coming out from her mouth until she passed away. It was also reported that three people drowned on Monday, October 21, 2019, after the canoe conveying about nine persons capsized when they ran into debris and hyacinth at the Kio-Kio community between Itowolo and Ajegunle. Baba Ibeji, Baba Michael and an Egun man drowned during the incident. A trader, Precious Okolie told the that their bodies had not yet been found.
The issue of flooding has continued to plague communities living around water bodies and riverine areas, as water levels continue to rise as a result of continious rainfall. The national emergency management agency(NEMA) released a statement some months back warning those living around riverine areas to relocate and seek for safer grounds until the rains reduce and the water levels go back to normal.
The victims of the flood were simply identified as Baba Ibeji, one Baba Michael, a yet-to-be-identified Egun man, a woman who was bitten by a snake and a mother and her baby, whose names could not be immediately ascertained. It was however gathered that the mother and her child had visited the God First community to see someone around Maidan-Orile, when the canoe conveying them capsized. According to a helmsman in the area, Chekwube Nuanya, the woman and her baby drowned, and their bodies were recovered three days after the incident. Nuanya said, “Some days ago, a woman, who wanted to see someone at Maidan-Orile, boarded a canoe, but when the helmsman got to a place, he started losing control because the paddle could not hold firm. So, the canoe was swaying on the water with the woman and her baby on board. The helmsman told the woman to use a bowl to scoop water out of the canoe, because water had already entered it. It was while doing that that the canoe capsized and they all fell into the water. The helmsman survived, while the bodies of the woman and her baby were seen floating on the water three days after. Another yet-to-be-identified woman was attempting to board a floater when she was bitten by a snake and died from its venom at the Unity Estate, Owode-Onirin. Recounting how the woman was bitten by the snake, a resident, who identified herself as Agbaje, said “the snake crawled into the floater and bit the woman. People were shouting that the part of the body, where she was bitten, should be tied to prevent the venom from spreading, but it was too late. Agbaje said the woman managed to get to her house, but her leg had started swelling and foamy substances were coming out from her mouth until she passed away. It was also reported that three people drowned on Monday, October 21, 2019, after the canoe conveying about nine persons capsized when they ran into debris and hyacinth at the Kio-Kio community between Itowolo and Ajegunle. Baba Ibeji, Baba Michael and an Egun man drowned during the incident. A trader, Precious Okolie told the that their bodies had not yet been found.
The issue of flooding has continued to plague communities living around water bodies and riverine areas, as water levels continue to rise as a result of continious rainfall. The national emergency management agency(NEMA) released a statement some months back warning those living around riverine areas to relocate and seek for safer grounds until the rains reduce and the water levels go back to normal.
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