Rainstorm Wreaks Havoc In Lokoja

The roof of the Lokoja International Stadium still under construction has been blown off by rainstorm.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the construction site on Monday, reports that the roofing sheets of the covered side of the stadium were completely removed.

NAN reports that residents of Lokoja woke up Monday morning to count the losses inflicted on them by the rainstorm.

Other parts of the metropolis affected were the Police Estate on Katsina road as well as some government offices, schools, shops and places of worship.

The rainstorm did not spare residents of Kabawa, Karaworo and Aungwan Kura and Adankolo, where many mud houses collapsed and roofs were blown away.

In Ganaja and New Layout areas, many houses under construction collapsed under the heavy storm while some fences also gave way.

Equally affected were the fences surrounding the Press Centre and the Museum of Colonial relics in Lokoja.

The storm which was followed by a mild rainfall also damaged many electric poles, plunging the state capital into darkness.

A victim, Mr. Mike Abu, told NAN that he lost the entire fence surrounding his house at Ganaja area to the rainstorm, adding that he was yet to estimate the cost of repairs.

Another victim, Mr. Fred Amode , who had the roof of his house blown away, said it would cost him about N350, 000 to repair the damage.

A former Chairman of the Kogi Council of the NUJ, Mr. Bola Boro, was also affected as his house suffered substantial damage with the roof blown away.

The manager of the Lokoja Business Unit of PHCN, Mr Abednego Akabuiko, said plans were underway to replace the damaged poles and cables to restore electricity back to the state capital.