Oluseyi Dasilva
The late night downpour of Saturday night has wrech untold damage to lives and properties in Ilorin leaving families wailing and government counting losses.
The rain started around 9.00pm without sign that it could turn disastrous ended up in large volume of flood, sweeping off the link bridge between Oko Erin and Sawmill area of Ilorin metropolis killing three members of same family while two other occupants escaped unhurt.
According to eye witness report, several lives had been lost in the disaster but the authorities accounted for only three persons being feared drowned while efforts to recover victims are still on going as at the time of filing this report.
According to the Head, Media and Publicity, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, Kwara State Fire Service on behalf of the Director of the service “The Kwara State fire Service was summoned to a rescue operation at Oke Erin area last night at about 22:30 hours, involving a Vehicle with 5 people inside the car while the bridge has been submerged by the torrent flowing over the bridge due to the downpour.
“One of the passengers alighted from the vehicle to check the depth of the torrent, but unfortunately, suddenly the bridge collapsed and got him sunk. Relatively the same time two passengers alighted from the vehicle and they got sunk too.
“The Brigade have been working round the clock to recover those victims. However, Mr Okechukwu Orwabo has been found dead at Coca cola road, the State Fire Service will leave no stone unturned to make the remaining victims namely; Chuben Orwabo and Chibike Orwabo are found soon. “
The Director, Kwara Fire Service, CFS Yakub I. Waheed urged the general public to be careful when it’s raining.
The Oko Erin link bridge which has been in existence since over two decades suddenly collapsed during the rain when the car reached the place and the car plunged into the flowing river under the bridge.
An eye witness said that there had been signs that the bridge requires rep[lacement or repairs but lacks supervision by relevant authorities.
