Residents of the Oke-Igbo community in the Ile Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area of Ondo State have called on the government and other intervention agencies in the country to assist them as many of them have been rendered homeless by a rainstorm.
It was gathered that the rainstorm destroyed about 80 houses in the agrarian community on Saturday and rendered many residents homeless.
Apart from houses, it was learnt that electric poles and telecommunications masts were also damaged by the rainstorm and the town had been thrown into darkness since then.
Members of the community called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to come to their aid by sending relief materials to cushion the effects of the natural disaster.
One of the residents, Mrs Rebecca Odefadehan, said the level of devastation was so much that many houses, electricity poles, schools and churches were badly affected.
“We want the government to assist us; the destruction by the rainstorm was much and beyond our capacity,” she stated.
Another victim, who identified himself simply as Felix, said the rainstorm blew off the roof of his house and since then, he and members of his family had not been able to sleep in the house.
“We know that this period of coronavirus-induced lockdown is very tough for the government, but there is nowhere we can turn to other than to call on the government and the National Emergency Management Agency to assist us. The rainstorm has rendered many of us homeless,” Felix stated.
Speaking with journalists on the incident, the monarch of Oke-Igbo, Oba Lawrence Babajide, described it as a catastrophe, adding that the residents of the community needed urgent assistance.
“I want to appeal to the state government to assist my people in order to lessen the burden on them,” he said.
