Flooding Blocks Benin-Ore Expressway, Leaves Drivers Stuck

Commuters and drivers faced long delays on Thursday after heavy flooding covered part of the Benin-Ore-Ijebu Ode Expressway in the Ore area of Odigbo Local Government, Ondo State.

PUNCH Metro reports that places like Ondo town, Odigbo, Irele, Ode-Aye, and Igbokoda also saw flooding due to a rain that went on for hours. Many properties worth millions of naira were damaged as vehicles and homes were flooded. Thankfully, there were no reported deaths.

A resident of Ore, who goes by Segun, said the expressway was completely blocked. He noted that drivers took the longer route through Okitipupa-Omotosho to reach the expressway.

“The traffic jam on the expressway was too much today. The road was taken over by flood, while some drivers who knew another route used the Okitipupa-Akinfosile-Omotosho road, which is a very long journey. Some travellers were stuck and were complaining.”

Another driver, Joshua Oladele, called the situation traumatic. He urged the government to act quickly.

“Everyone was stuck. No one thought this highway would be so badly affected by floods. An urgent intervention is needed before things get worse,” he said.

Residents in the flooded areas have asked the state government and relevant agencies to tackle the ongoing flooding that damages their communities every rainy season.

In response to the situation, the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tob Loko, expressed sorrow over the incident and promised that action would be taken soon.

He said that many flood-prone areas in the state had already been identified for intervention, adding that recent videos and photos showed more locations needing urgent attention.

“It may not be possible to reach all affected areas at the same time, but the state government is committed to solving this problem through coordinated and consistent efforts,” he stated.

The commissioner noted that amphibious excavators were being sent through the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical and Ecological Control to key locations for emergency clearing and channeling work.

He urged residents to quickly report flooding and environmental issues to the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies, asking for cooperation to implement measures to address this challenge.