Heavy downpour wreaks havoc in Osogbo, residents count losses 

Residents of Osogbo and its environs have begun counting their losses following a heavy downpour that lasted more than one hour on Saturday, leaving widespread destruction across several communities.

The rainstorm, which affected areas including Ogo-Oluwa, destroyed properties worth millions of naira, with many victims struggling to assess the extent of the damage.

The torrential rainfall, accompanied by strong winds, reportedly blew off roofs from several buildings, pulled down perimeter fences, and damaged electricity supply cables in different parts of the state capital.

It was observed that a significant number of the affected structures were storey buildings, many of which suffered severe structural damage during the storm.

One of the affected residents, Nurudeen Murtala, said the roof of his house was completely blown off, leaving his property exposed to further damage.

“The roof of my house was blown off, and many other houses were also affected,” he said, adding: “This has impacted many landlords and tenants in the area.”

He added that the financial burden of repairs would be difficult to bear, noting that he currently lacks the resources needed to fix the damage.

“I have to look for money to repair my damaged property, but the pitiable thing is that I do not have the funds anywhere,” he lamented.

In a related development, an unidentified truck driver conveying products was trapped for about an hour after a billboard collapsed onto his vehicle during the downpour.

The incident occurred along the Gbongan–Ibadan road around 8 p.m., when the billboard reportedly fell on the truck near a fast-food outlet in the Aregbe area.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Sola, said residents in the area had to work together to rescue the driver from the wreckage.

“It took the combined efforts of people around to rescue him,” he said. “I believe only God saved his life.”

No casualties were officially confirmed as of the time of filing this report, though several residents sustained varying degrees of loss and displacement.

Reacting to the incident, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, expressed sympathy with residents affected by the rainstorm.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor described the incident as sad and unfortunate.

“On behalf of the government and good people of Osun State, I sincerely sympathise with the victims of the heavy rainstorms occasioned by the devastating downpour,” the statement read.

He added that the government would take necessary steps through the Osun State Emergency Management Agency to address the losses suffered by victims.

“I feel deeply touched and alarmed by the incident, and my administration will put in place everything possible to mitigate the losses incurred,” he stated.

The governor also directed the Ministry of Works to clear affected roads in order to prevent further accidents and ensure the free flow of traffic.

He attributed the increasing occurrence of such natural disasters to the effects of climate change, stressing the need for proactive environmental measures.

Adeleke urged residents to adopt preventive strategies such as tree planting and warned against indiscriminate felling of trees.

Meanwhile, the gubernatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Osun State, Najeem Salaam, also sympathised with victims of the rainstorm.

In a message shared on his X account, Salam expressed concern over the disruption caused by the downpour across parts of Osogbo.

“I extend my heartfelt concern and solidarity to all residents affected by the heavy downpour,” he said.

“These are difficult moments, and I deeply empathise with families whose homes, properties, and livelihoods have been impacted,” he added.

He urged residents to remain calm and support one another, particularly vulnerable members of the community, including the elderly and children.

Heavy downpour wreaks havoc in Osogbo, residents count losses