Residents Cry for Help as Flood Wrecks Ore, Ondo Community

…Islamic cleric still missing in floodwaters 

Torrential rains that began on Sunday, 3rd August, and have continued intermittently, have left a trail of destruction in parts of Nigeria, with Ore, a commercial town in Ondo State, among the worst hit.

The heavy downpour, which started shortly after church services on Sunday, resulted in the collapse of key infrastructure in Ore and the disappearance of at least one resident, sparking fears and mourning across the community.

Pastor Ernest Alieu, a retired senior civil servant and respected community leader, described the scene as heartbreaking.

“The rain began immediately after people returned from church. It poured heavily, and fear gripped everyone,” he said. “Two bridges collapsed—one on a major state road and another linking our area with the main town.”

Among the most troubling reports is that of a missing resident, known in the community as Daddy Abdusalam, a respected Islamic cleric (referred to locally as Aafaa), who was swept away by the floodwaters while trying to cross a submerged section of the bridge near his home. His body is yet to be recovered.

“A hole before the bridge had been covered by the rising water. He unknowingly stepped into it, and that was it,” an eyewitness recounted.

The incident occurred in the NASFAT area of the town, located near a local hotel named New Heaven. The community is in a state of panic as another close call was reported involving a commercial motorcyclist who narrowly escaped being swept away.

“The flood dragged the cyclist nearly a kilometer along the old Benin Road. It was a miracle he survived,” said another witness.

Locals also pointed to the structural vulnerability of the affected bridge. It was reportedly constructed seven years ago by a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member with support from the late governor’s wife, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu.

“It’s not the bridge itself that failed but the surrounding terrain that has deteriorated badly due to government neglect,” a resident lamented. “Ore has been abandoned by successive administrations. This disaster is just the result of years of neglect.”

As the rains persist and the search continues for the missing resident, community members are calling on the Ondo State government and relevant agencies to urgently intervene and prevent further tragedy.