Date: 2021-09-28

The campaign against open defecation, pollution of rivers and illegal grabbing of canals amongst others, formed part of the major trust of 2021 World Rivers Day celebration in Ilorin Monday.

The event was organised by the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin to create awareness on the negative effects of polluted rivers and need to protect and restore fresh water.

Themed "Water ways in our communities," the campaign was coming against the backdrop of prediction by Nigeria Metrological Agency (NIMET) of imminent flood disaster in Ilorin west and Patigi local government areas of the state during the 2021 raining season.

A street campaign organised to mark the day took off from the premises of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin, located along basin road. The campaign took the management and staff of the basin round some major streets of Ilorin before it terminated at Baba- Ode community.

Speaking during the campaign, managing director of the basin, Engineer Saheed Adeniyi Aremu , decried the alarming threat to aquatic environment in Nigeria and called for concerted efforts to halt the trend .