CITIZENS COMPASS– TWO occupants of a vehicle have escaped death by whiskers after the car was hit by rainstorm, on Thursday night, in Kwara State.
The storm wrecked havoc in some parts of the State rendering many homeless as properties which monetary value could not be quantified were destroyed.
The rainstorm started with a downpour that lasted for hours leaving many residents of Sakama, Niger and Edun areas of Ilorin South Local Government in tales of woe.
This began at about 10pm damaging cars, buildings, electric poles, wire and shops. Political sign posts were not left out.
Among the affected residents were two occupants of a car who escaped death by whiskers along Unity Road, Ilorin, when a billboard fell on their vehicle.
It was gathered that several signposts were destroyed at Sawmill, Taiwo and Unity areas while several buildings were destroyed at Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.
However, the Kwara state Fire Service said there was no loss of life.adding that the two occupants of the car were rescued. .
The agency spoke through its Head of Media and Publicity, Hassan Adekunle said the rainstorm damaged several buildings at Taiwo Isale, Unity Road, Ita Amodu areas among other areas of the town.
He said,
what would have been the worst was the fallen political bill boards which fell on a car at Unity Road as the occupants of the car had gone down before men of the fire service came to their rescue.”
Adekunle said that the Director of the state fire service, Prince John Famuyiwa had advised the people of the state to always stay whenever it rains.
Famiyiwa also warned vehicle owners and drivers to keep off the streets whenever during rainfall for their own safety.
Also speaking, the Director General of Kwara State Signage and Advertisement, (KWASAA), Mr Olorunshola Omotayo said efforts were ongoing to clear the falling signposts off the road to allow free flow of traffic adding that the damage would also be evaluated.
Similarly, , Kwara state governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had sympathized with residents of the state over rainstorm, flooding incidents
A statement signed by Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the governor on Friday, March 24, 2023, stated that Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had sympathised with residents of Ilorin and some communities in the state who were affected by the rainstorm and flooding of Thursday night.
“The governor described the incidents as unfortunate. He is sad about the havoc that the rainstorm wreaked on public and private properties, especially in Ilorin metropolis, Oke Ero, and some other areas,” according to a government statement on Friday.
“The governor is aware of and commends the ongoing efforts of relevant government agencies to evacuate the many fallen signposts and clear the highways for free movement of traffic.
“While the state government will collaborate with the federal government to continually tackle the question of flooding, the government appeals to members of the public to avoid littering the drainages or blocking free flow of water”, the statement said.
