12th July, 2011
No fewer than seven people, including a woman and a baby strapped on her back, were on Monday found drowned at Aboru Canal in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos State.
A resident of the community, Mr. Adewale Hassan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the victims had been swept into the canal by the rampaging flood that accompanied Sunday‘s downpour.
“I heard some people shouting on Sunday evening but could not come out to ascertain the cause because of the heavy rains.
“It was when I came out this morning that I saw people gathered looking at dead bodies floating in the canal. I could count seven bodies, including that of a woman with a baby strapped to her back. It was indeed a terrible sight,“ he said.
When NAN asked to see some of the bodies, Hassan said some of the bodies had been swept to the Aboru end of the canal by the floods.
Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, corroborated Hassan‘s account, saying three of the seven bodies had been removed by residents and had been handed over to the appropriate authorities.
“Yes, we removed three bodies this morning and they were so bad that we could not recognise them or tell where they lived. I guess they must have been swept into the canal from somewhere.
“We saw the other bodies being moved away to the other end of the canal but it would be suicidal for anyone to attempt to remove them. It was a bad experience for residents of this area,“ he said.
Efforts by NAN to contact Mr. Samuel Jinadu, the Lagos State Police Public Relations to confirm the incident proved abortive as his phone did not go through.
NAN reports that Sunday‘s flooding, described as one of the worst the state had ever experienced, also destroyed public infrastructure and sacked residents.
In Badagry, the floods also wreaked havoc in Itoga, Mosafejo, Aradagun, Oko-Afo, Ilado and Iworo-Ajido communities.
NAN reports that the divisional police headquarters, public schools and institutions such as the Nigeria French Language Village, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, as well as bank premises were not spared.
Two residents of the ancient town, Mr. Segun Huntoyan and Mr. Wale Kuponu, described the flood as the worst in recent times.
Mr. Dele Odebiyi, former Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who also resides in Badagry, told NAN that hundreds of people were rendered homeless while human and vehicular movements were hindered.