Residents of Isheri North Government Reserved Area, also known as the Isheri North Residential Scheme, Lagos State, are currently lamenting the flooding of the area, located along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The residents appealed to the state government to come to their aid, stating that since the flooding started in late August, many residents had been forced to leave their homes, while those remaining in the estate now use canoes to move to and fro their homes.
When our correspondent visited the estate on Thursday, floods could be seen taking over most homes and roads, with cars abandoned on the road and some residents forced to wade through the floodwaters.
A building materials dealer who owns a shop around the area, Mr Oluwaseun Onifade, lamented that this year’s flooding was more severe than the ones which occurred in the past five years.
Decrying that the situation was affecting his business, the resident appealed to the Lagos State Government to come to their aid.
He said, “The situation is affecting my business as a supplier of building materials. There are some estates we cannot deliver goods to because everywhere is flooded.
“In a week, we usually sell between 300 bags and a truckload of cement but throughout this week, we’ve been unable to sell 50 bags. You can’t enter the estate even if we have orders. Canoes are used in some places.”
Our correspondent also saw as some vehicles that broke down in the flood were being towed out of the estate, while some residents could be seen moving out.
Another resident, Mrs Bunmi Awosanya, said due to the flooding, she and her family had vacated their house on Saturday.
“We have moved out of our home, the situation is worse than expected. We had to abandon everything in the home – furniture, electronics and other expensive items.
“Right now, we have run for our dear lives. Every room in our home is flooded. Our street in the estate is flooded. We were making use of canoe but the situation has gone beyond using canoes now,” she said.
It was also gathered that some residents who have vacated the estate reported seeing reptiles such as snakes in the flood that took over their homes.
One of the residents, Mr Yinka Olumuyiwa, also vacated the estate on Saturday, saying he was tired of the situation.
Olumuyiwa said, “My vehicle broke down after driving it through the flood. As you can see today (Saturday), the flood has also taken over the major road in the estate.
“I have been using a canoe to enter my home but my home is now flooded, so my family and me have vacated to a friend’s place until when the floods subside.”
Speaking to our correspondent, the Estate Manager of the Isheri North GRA, Mr Martins Badejo, decried that despite writing letters to the Lagos State Government to come to their aid, nothing had been done to assist them.
Badejo attributed the flooding of the 300-home estate to the overflowing of the Ogun River as a result of the opening of the Abeokuta Dam in Ogun State and the Asejire Dam in Osun State.