Bridge collapses, many rendered homeless as flood sacks Idoma community residents

The popular Onyirada bridge along Aho-Ukwo road has collapsed, while valuables worth millions of naira have been swept away in a devastating flood disaster that swept through Owukpa, a suburb of Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State.

It was gathered that the ravaging flood also rendered no fewer than 700 people homeless in the area.

It was also gathered that most of the people affected by the disaster were residents of Udaburu-Ugbugbu in Ehaje, Ogwurute, Obenjira, Ejaa, Ugwu-Ogaji and Ola’Och Idu in Itabono areas of Owukpa.

In Ehaje, residents of villages such as Udaburu, Ugbugbu, Odobe, Anumachogwu, Aho, and others have been cut off from the main Ukwo Centre due to the collapse of the Onyirada bridge.

It was observed that the bridge is part of the abandoned Aho-Ukwo Rural Areas Mobility Project, RAMP, that was awarded at N120m under the President Goodluck Jonathan’s adminstration.

The Home Branch Chairman of Udaburu Development Association, Mr. Emmanuel Odoh, lamented that the collapsed bridge has totally cut them off from the heart of the community.

He told our reporter on phone that since the bridge collapsed four days ago, their people could not go to the market with their farm produce or access neighbouring communities such as Ekere, Ukwo, Adu and Orokam.

He called on the local government chairman to come their aide.

Also, in Itabono, over 700 houses were swept away by the flood.

One of the victims of the flood, Goddy Agno Itodo (also known as Goddy Okwureje), said he could not take a pin from his house when the flood invaded his residence.

Speaking with our reporter, the district head of Itabono Ward 11, Chief Patrick Apeh (Obadabada), said valuables worth N8.3m were swept away by the flood.

He said most of the victims have been taking refuge at his residence.

He called on the LG chairman of Ogbadibo, Hon. Samuel Odoh Onuh, to come to their rescue.

(Credit: Daily Post ng)