No fewer than 200 houses and public schools, as well as electric cables, were damaged on Sunday by a windstorm that wreaked havoc in Ilorin and Ogele/Eyenkorin in the Asa Local government area of Kwara State.
The devastating rainstorm that accompanied the rain on Sunday evening disrupted Eid-el-Fitr celebrations in Ogele-Eyenkorin and neighbouring communities in Asa LG, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Residents of the area said that about 200 houses had their roofs blown off, while over 20 buildings collapsed, including schools, shops, and business premises in the affected areas.
The heavy downpour, accompanied by strong winds, also brought down electricity poles and wires, plunging many areas into darkness while the drainage in Kuntu bridge in Ilorin West local government area of the state was blocked by the debris gathered on the bridge by the wind.
Communities worst hit include Eyenkorin, Ogele, Ifelodun, Ifesowapo, Orisunbare, Odo-Akuo, Apata Ajele, Alagbado Eyenkorin, Basa, Yakoyo, and Lekki. Among the structures damaged were Ogele Primary School, Ansarul-Deen Primary School, and D-Light A-Nur Nursery/Primary School, whose roofs were completely blown off.
At least 15 private schools, including Community Secondary School, Apata Ajele, and Wilson School, Alagbado, also suffered severe damage, with some classrooms collapsing while the windstorm also blew off the roof of Government Day Secondary School and damaged the baseball facilities in Adeta in the Ilorin West local government area of the state.
With many now homeless, affected residents were seen moving their belongings to squat with neighbours as they await intervention from authorities and well-meaning individuals.
The vice chairman of the Ifelodun community in Eyenkorin, Zubairu Abiola, lamented the incident and called for intervention from the state government.
“The rainstorm has rendered many residents of the community and its adjourning areas homeless.
Zubairu said, “We want to appeal to the state governor, Mallam AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq to come to the rescue of the communities as always done by him even when there is no calamity.
