A 50-year-old father of seven, Mr. Augustine Ojo, has reportedly died after he was swept away by floodwaters in a deep gully at Iguovbiobo community in Uhunmwode local government area of Edo state.
Blueprint.ng gathered that the tragedy occurred when Ojo was returning home on his motorcycle and attempted to cross a makeshift wooden bridge spanning the gully.
The bridge allegedly collapsed after floodwaters washed away the soil supporting it, throwing him and his motorcycle into the raging torrent.
Residents said the victim was swept away by the fast-moving floodwaters despite desperate rescue efforts by community members.
His body was reportedly recovered about six hours later after an intensive search conducted by youths and other villagers.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the youth leader, Augustine Evbuomwan, blamed the incident on the alleged diversion of stormwater by a construction company handling the rehabilitation of the Benin–Auchi Road for the Federal Ministry of Works.
According to him, drainage channels constructed along the highway now discharge large volumes of floodwater into the community, triggering severe erosion that has split the settlement into two.
”The erosion has become a major danger to residents, with schoolchildren and adults forced to cross the expanding gully on makeshift wooden bridges to access their homes, schools and farms,” Evbuomwan said.
He alleged that repeated appeals to the construction company to address the drainage challenge had produced no result, claiming that residents were instead intimidated whenever they raised concerns.
The community leader appealed to the Edo State Government and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene to prevent further loss of lives and property.
When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EDOSEMA), Jerry Idahosa, said the incident had not yet been officially reported to the agency.
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