‎A 50-year-old man identified as Mr. Augustine Ojo has lost his life after he was swept away by flood in the Uguewebo community, Umudiode area of Edo State.

The flood was said to be caused by gully erosion resulting from the ongoing road construction in the area.

The incident reportedly happened while the father of seven was attempting to cross a wooden bridge in the area.

‎A source, who craved anonymity, said the deceased was returning home on his motorcycle on Monday night when he attempted to cross a wooden bridge commonly used by residents to access the community.

According to him, the intensity of the flood had already washed away the soil supporting the wooden bridge, causing it to collapse and throw the deceased into the gully.

‎Community members said frantic efforts by some residents to rescue him proved unsuccessful, saying his corpse was reportedly recovered around 2:00 a.m. following sustained search by youths and other villagers.

They blamed the tragedy on alleged diversion of floodwater by a construction company handling the rehabilitation of the Benin–Auchi Road.

They alleged that the drainage channels constructed along the highway discharged stormwater directly into their community, leading to serious erosion that has split the area into two.

‎They said the erosion has become a major threat to residents, with school children and adults forced to cross the expanding gully on makeshift wooden bridges to access their schools, homes, and farms.

‎Speaking on behalf of the community, the youth leader, Augustine Ewonwa, appealed to the Edo State Government and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene before more lives are lost.

‎He alleged that repeated appeals to the construction company to address the drainage problem had yielded no result.

When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EDOSEMA), Jerry Idahosa, said the unfortunate incident was not reported to the agency. (Daily Trust)

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