…Many victims taking shelter in monarch’s palace By Chinedu Adonu
No fewer than 80 buildings, including public schools and churches, were destroyed by a devastating windstorm that swept through Ukete Oduma in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, rendering hundreds of residents homeless. The incident, which residents described as unprecedented, also left property worth millions of naira in ruins. The windstorm was so strong that it uprooted electric poles, destroyed economic trees, and killed numerous livestock. When our correspondent visited the community, confusion and distress were evident as affected residents struggled to salvage their belongings, soaked by rain. The traditional ruler of Ukete Oduma, Igwe Patrick Oshiekwe, expressed pain and likened the incident to a hurricane. He appealed to the government at all levels, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals for urgent assistance. Oshiekwe, whose palace has been converted into a temporary shelter for displaced families, said the situation was worsening due to continuous rainfall. “Everybody in the community is shattered. Since I was born, I have never seen anything like this. Within a short time, most of the houses in our community were destroyed. Many people now have nowhere to sleep. “I am appealing to our governor, Dr Peter Ndubisi Mbah, to come to our aid, as well as Senator Osita Ngwu and our Rep, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu. Most of our public schools and churches were affected. The damage is enormous,” the monarch lamented. He added that some affected property owners reside outside the community, which could delay reconstruction efforts amid persistent rainfall. Also speaking, the President-General of the community, Jeremiah Njoku, expressed shock over the incident, noting that residents could not immediately determine its cause. While thanking God that no lives were lost, Njoku described the destruction as massive and called for urgent government intervention. “You can see that over 80 buildings were affected, not counting those with minor damage. This is the worst disaster in the history of our community. Our people need urgent help and are living in fear,” he said. Some victims, including Mr Ernest Nweze and Chief Ifeanyichukwu Akuatuegwu, lamented the total loss of their savings and appealed for assistance.
