Fear has gripped residents of Enwan community in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State following the overflow of the nearby Ojirami Dam, which has triggered flooding in the area.
The dam overflowed its banks after heavy rainfall on Sunday, September 27, 2026, flooding the Enwan-Igarra-Ososo Expressway and leaving the road impassable to motorists and other commuters.
A community leader, Dr Agbadua Bamidele, who spoke on the development by telephone, expressed fears that continued rainfall could result in the entire Enwan community being submerged.
Bamidele recalled a similar incident in 1980, when the dam overflowed, submerging more than 500 houses and claiming several lives.
He warned that the community could experience a more devastating disaster than the 1980 incident if urgent
measures were not taken to address the situation.While commending the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EDOSEMA) for its prompt response to Sunday’s flooding, the community leader urged the government to intensify efforts to prevent a possible disaster.
He said, “Everyone is in fear; we can’t close our eyes and sleep because it has been raining, and we don’t know what will befall us from Ojirami Dam. The Dam is completely abandoned.
“The Dam is owned by the state government. There is no maintenance, so it is dilapidated. The iron has rusted. And our major fear is that there is a crack on the Ojirami Dam concrete, which may collapse anytime, and if it happens, the both human and materials damage will not be explainable. It will be worse than the 80s incident.”
