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Govt Offices Submerged As Flood Wreaks Havoc In Rivers, Hundreds Of Residents Displaced
Flood is taking its toll on many communities across several local government areas of Rivers State after continual rain fall in the last one week.
The LGAs mostly affected are, Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Andoni, Port Harcourt City, Obio Akpor, Oyigbo, Akuku-toru, Abua Odua and Ikwerre.
At Igwurita in Ikwerre Local Government Area, the flood submerged nine villages that make up the community.
Many houses including that of the lawmaker representing Ikwerre Federal Constituency, Barrister Boniface Emerengwa, were submerged by the flood thereby displacing many people.
A resident of the area, Gilbert Orlu, who said the flood affected the nine villages that made up Igwurita community, added that properties and food crops worth millions of naira were destroyed and over 300 persons displaced.
He said those affected by the devastating impact of the flood are counting their losses while the state government is yet to come to their aid.
Another resident, John Kono, said all his properties, from electronics, beddings and furniture were washed away by the flood. “We are in pain and still counting our losses,” he said.
“We are just managing to cope with the situation we found ourselves. It’s really bad and we are calling on the state government to come to our aid. The affected residents are crying, the poor masses are crying. We really need help,” he said.
Another victim, Pius Chukwu said: “Everywhere in Igwurita is flooded. It’s not just my own property but other residents too are affected. Properties worth millions of naira have been damaged. Farms, business premises were flooded and properties destroyed.”
The residents however attributed the flood to poor drainage system in the communities saying that water is not properly channeled.
The Councilor representing Igwurita Ward 9 in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Hon. Chindah Wali, said arrangement has been concluded to move the victims of the flood to an IDP camp in the area.
Also in Ahoada West, hundreds of residents were displaced and farm crops and valuable properties washed away by flood.
A resident of one of the flooded communities in Ahoada West, Okpokiri Michael, said many buildings were submerged by flood and the affected residents are still counting their losses.
“This year’s flood caused lots of damage to residents. Many of the residents have no place to put their heads. Houses, schools and farmlands were submerged and hundreds of residents displaced.
“Most of the displaced persons have been moved to the IDP camps while others are staying with relations in areas not affected by flood. We are helpless as we have lost all our belongings. We want NEMA and the state government to assist us,” he said.
At Omoku, Ndoni and other rural communities of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, the story is not different as residents were sacked by flood while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
The residents of Eneka, Atani, Nkpolu, Rumuodomaya, Ngboba and the popular NTA road in Obio Akpor Local Government Area are not left out.
The case is the same in Oyigbo as residents of Old Aba/Port Harcourt relate the pathetic story of the destruction of some poultry farms and fish ponds located in area.
A resident, Matar Okere said: “We woke up one morning after a torrential rain to find out that our house has been submerged by flood. I hurriedly carried two of my children out of the compound.
“The whole properties in the house were destroyed. Mine is a double tragedy as my poultry farm was washed off by the flood. I lost over 500 birds.”
Another resident who did not disclose his identity said he lost more than 1000 fishes in his pond and blamed the incident on the ongoing construction of Aba/Port Harcourt road.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Environment recently invited chairmen of local government affected by flood to explain the level of their preparedness to the forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) which listed 18 LGAs in Rivers State as flood prone areas.
Chairman of the committee, Dumle Maol, said the invite is for the affected chairmen to explain measures taken so far to tackle flooding in their respective local government councils.
In response, the Chairman of Ahoada, Hope Ikiriko, said the council has prepared four camps to accommodate the flood victims.
He however lamented that most of the internally displaced persons from flood affected communities in the Local Government refused to stay in the camps for fear of insecurity and contacting disease.
He also disclosed that the IDP camps, which are mostly situated in schools, are most times invaded by strangers displaced by flood from neighboring states.
According to him, the council spent N7million in buying mattresses last year but they were stolen.
He appealed to both the state and federal governments to come to their aid.
On his part,chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, Victor Ihunwo, said he has secured two storey buildings opposite the Mile 3 park in Port Harcourt that would accommodate displaced persons.
Also, the Local Government chairmen of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual, Eleme, Asari Toru and Ahoada East who appeared before the committee gave insight on their level of preparedness to ameliorate the plight of those affected by the flood.
In the meantime the South- South zonal office of NEMA said it is doing everything possible to inform and educate residents about the danger of living in flood prone areas.
DAILYTRUST
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a couple from their residence in the Iluabo area of Akure North Local Government, Ondo State.
During the attack, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, February 21, 2026, the assailants shot one person before seizing the victims.
The gunmen had stormed Olaribigba Estate in the community when they whisked Mr Jamiu Olawale and his wife into the bush.
Following the development, which has created tension in the agrarian community, residents protested and barricaded the road leading to the community over the incessant kidnappings and insecurity in the community.
According to sources, the couple had arrived at their residence in an ash-coloured Toyota Camry when they were attacked by the gunmen, who lay in ambush for them.
During the incident, a neighbour of the abducted couple, Patrick Ilumaro, who was seated in front of his residence, was shot by the gunmen while fleeing from the community.
A neighbour of the victims revealed that Ilumaro was swiftly rushed to an undisclosed medical facility where he is currently receiving medical treatment.
While confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command disclosed that tactical teams as well as conventional operatives have been deployed to the community.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, the operatives are already combing the axis in an effort to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
“Concerted efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe return of the abducted persons and bring those responsible to justice.
“Members of the public are urged to remain calm and go about their lawful activities. Meanwhile, the Command urges them to provide credible and actionable information that may assist in the investigation to the nearest police station.”
One person died and four others were rescued following a road accident at Ekoro Junction, Abule-Egba, on Friday evening, according to a statement from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, made this known in a statement issued on the agency’s X handle on Saturday.
According to the agency, the crash occurred at about 7:30 p.m. when an empty MACK tanker suffered a sudden brake failure, lost control and rammed into a Toyota Corolla before crashing into a roadside shop.
LASTMA said the tanker, with registration number EKY 900 XY, collided with a Toyota Corolla marked AAA 823 AY.
The impact caused extensive structural damage to the shop and triggered panic among traders and pedestrians in the area.
“The magnitude of the collision led to the immediate confirmation of one fatality at the scene, while four other trapped persons were extricated from the wreckage through coordinated emergency rescue efforts,” the agency stated.
The authority said it immediately activated its Rescue and Recovery Protocol, deploying specialised operatives to manage the situation.
“Personnel implemented strategic traffic diversion, vehicular evacuation procedures and crowd management in synergy with other emergency responders to forestall secondary incidents and guarantee unobstructed access for rescue operations,” LASTMA added.
It stated that emergency teams carried out rescue operations and provided medical attention to the injured victims.
According to the agency, a heavy-duty tow truck was later deployed to evacuate the damaged tanker and clear debris from the road to restore normal traffic flow.
The agency disclosed that the tanker driver fled the scene shortly after the crash and security operatives have since launched efforts to apprehend the driver and initiate legal proceedings.
“Security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Ekoro Division, responded expeditiously, maintaining public order, securing the accident perimeter and assisting in investigative processes aimed at establishing the precise sequence of events that culminated in the mechanical failure and subsequent collision.
“The incident precipitated considerable traffic congestion extending across adjoining routes toward Abule-Egba, necessitating robust traffic management interventions by LASTMA officials who remained on ground directing vehicular movement and implementing diversion strategies to alleviate the backlog,” it said.
According to the agency, its General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged transport operators, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles, to prioritise routine vehicle maintenance.
“Preventable mechanical deficiencies remain a significant contributory factor in severe road traffic crashes,” Bakare-Oki said.
He also advised motorists to exercise vigilance, obey traffic regulations and maintain responsible driving practices, especially within densely populated commercial corridors.
Bakare-Oki assured the public that security agencies would conduct a thorough investigation to determine the immediate and remote causes of the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with extant laws.
The agency said other emergency responders at the scene included the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, collaborated to coordinate rescue, medical response and environmental safety measures.
The Department of State Services (DSS) will arraign former Governnor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, on February 25 over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court has fixed the date for the arraignment of the former Governor on a three-count criminal charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) after the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho assigned the case to her.
NAN earlier reported that the DSS, on Monday, filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai following his alleged involvement in wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The charge, instituted by the Nigerian secret police, is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.
The service accused El-Rufai of breaching the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003.)
In court, El-Rufai was alleged to have, on Feb. 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, admitted during the interview that he and his cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA, Mr Ribadu.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
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