Date: 2019-09-22

Four local government areas of Kwara State were on Wednesday night ravaged by flood, resulting from a downpour earlier in the evening.

Our correspondent gathered that valuables worth millions of naira were destroyed.

The rain started at about 5pm and lasted till around 9pm, causing untold hardship and losses to residents of the state capital.

Several acres of farmland and crops were also said to have been destroyed in communities such as Ipata-Jebba and Fangan in the Moro Local GovernmentArea; Belle, Bacita, Yalwa, Gbere and Fanagu.

Residents of Amilegbe, Omosebi, Cocacola and Offa Garage were also affected.

Also affected were business premises like the old KWACCIMA building on Unity Road, Omowunmi Cooperative Society building on Obbo Road, shops, residential houses, churches and mosques.

It was also gathered that many occupants of affected buildings along Obbo and Unity roads, Ilorin, stayed indoors till Thursday afternoon as water had enveloped their buildings, preventing them from going out.

Items destroyed by the flood included cars, food items, documents and electronic gadgets.

Some victims called on the state government to liaise with the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem, lamenting that the flood had persisted because the channelisation project on Asa river was yet to be completed.

The Baale of Ipata-Jebba, Alhaji Aremu Adedoyin, who spoke when a Kwara State Government delegation visited the areas, said, "Flooding has become a yearly occurrence along the banks of Jebba River."