One Killed At Okeafa, Isolo As Torrential Flood Wreck Havoc In Lagos

One person was feared killed as flood wreaked havoc at Gate House, Gold Crescent, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation Bungalow Scheme, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos.

The residents expressed fear over flooding that continually threatened the safety of lives and property within the estate.

Some of the residents, who spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent, said the flood was further worsened after the downpour on Tuesday, reports The PUNCH.

The Chairman, Gold Crescent, Jakande Estate, Emmanuel Ezeugo, said residents had been living in hell for a long time with no help in sight.

The chairman said, “It’s a very pathetic problem here. We’ve always had flooding. Whenever it rains, the flood enters people’s homes. It’s been worse since 2007.

“The water from other canals all the way from Idimu is channelled to our street. The canal is just after our street. Sometimes, when there’s no single drop of rain, there will still be a raging flood.

“A woman known as Mama Mary died in the flood two years ago. The Friday rain carried a corpse through our street to the canal. It carried a man’s vehicle to a distance of about 67km before an obstruction blocked it. Nobody could go out on this street after Tuesday’s rain. It’s an ecological disaster here.”

The chairman noted that although no one had come forward within the estate to tell them they lost somebody, he, however, said the corpse could not be identified as it was washed into the canal.

“We don’t know who the person is, but a fair skinned corpse was seen,” he said.

In a video of the Tuesday flood taken by a resident, Chris Dike, people were seen standing as the raging flood left many of them stranded.

Our correspondent also observed that the road within the estate was not motorable as the persistent flooding had caused severe damage to the roads. The residents called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government to come to their aid.

“This is our situation; the government should help our souls before more lives are lost. We already lost property to the flood. Tuesday’s flood was very pathetic,” another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

The estate chairman, Ezeugo, noted that the estate leadership had gone to the LSDPC (owners of the estate) and the state Ministry of Works as well as other agencies several times but nothing had been done.

Three letters sighted by our correspondent dated 2020 were written by the estate leadership to the LSDPC, the state Public Works Corporation and the Governor’s Office.

In response, the LSDPC urged the residents to follow up with the Public Works Corporation.

Contacted, the spokesperson for the LSDPC, Oladipupo Olukunga, said the estate was no longer under the corporation.

Olukunga said, “The LSDPC, Isolo, is no longer under the LSDPC as a body. When the Lagos Building Investment Company was set up, most of our low-cost property, especially the Jakande estate, were moved and they are now under the control of the LBIC. For the LSDPC to do anything, it has to originate from the LBIC.”

He also added that the Department of Drainage Services under the Ministry of Environment was best to handle the situation.

Contacted, the spokesperson for the state Ministry of Environment, Kunle Adeshina, confirmed that he was aware that letters had been exchanged over the estate’s situation.

“I know that there have been exchanges of correspondence. I know the drainage agency responded (some time ago),” Adeshina said.

Speaking further, he said, “The present status is that the contract for the drainage and channelisation (for the area) has been awarded but the paperwork is being finalised.