The month of July each year is fast becoming a month of nightmares for the people and residents of Oyigbo town, headquarters of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Every year, that month brings along flash floods that leave destructions, tears and hardships on their trails, with the cries of the people to relevant governments and agencies falling on deaf ears.
The first month of the third quarter of this year 2026 alone, has recorded one death and properties worth billions of Naira destroyed. Although, the figures of death maybe unofficially high, Thescale.com.ng was officially informed that a 17 years old student was swept away by the flood on Thursday July 19, 2026.
We gathered that on that Thursday July 19, 17-year-old Ifeanyichukwu Osuji, an SSS 3 student died after heavy rainfall submerged parts of their residence in Umu-Ebeleke, Umuosia and Graceland Phase 3 areas of the town.
Osuji, father of the victim reportedly said the family had evacuated their home because of the flooding, but his son went back to retrieve some clothes they had left behind when he was swept away by the floodwaters.
Stakeholders who spoke to our Correspondent at the Palace of the Paramount ruler of Oyigbo town, HRH Samuel Nna Azu, the Eze Oha 111 of Oyigbo kingdom on Wednesday August 5, 2026 pointed out that, apart from the death, the recurring flooding this year has disrupted economic activities and made movement difficult in affected areas, with fears that the situation could worsen if urgent intervention is not provided.
The monarch himself, in an exclusive chat stressed that residents were no longer interested in temporary palliatives or relief materials, insisting that government should focus on providing a permanent solution to the flooding.
“Well, the issue is that, it’s not only today we’ve been talking about the issue of floods in Oyigbo LGA. Oyigbo has been a flash point of this flood issue. It would’ve been better that the government sees Oyigbo as very close to the river which would’ve helped this issue,” Eze Azu stressed.
The royal father continued, “Over 50 houses have been consumed by these floods we’re talking about with their properties. So, costing them, I don’t know how many millions or billions I’ll mention because each landlord would be able to talk about what they lost in their apartments or houses. But if we’re to make a rough estimate, it would be over hundreds of millions of Naira . . .”
Another stakeholder and the traditional ruler of Umundinor community, Chief Ezekiel Iwela confirmed the severity of this year’s flood and its devastating impacts on the people. “Very, very well, I’m affected by the flood and my house collapsed. Other landlords there, their fences, soakaway pits and their boreholes were all affected on Thursday the 19 of July 2026.”
“The cost of properties damaged in that Umundinor Junction is over two billion Naira because fences collapsed, soakaway pits, boreholes and buildings all collapsed. I reported and voiced it out on radio,” he added.
Mr Uncle Pee – De Comedy Governor from Michael Robinson Estate in Umuebereke community and former Adviser on Entertainment to Oyigbo LGA chairman, another stakeholder who spoke to our Correspondent at the Eze’s Palace opined that the floods were artificial and called on the relevant authorities to do something urgently to avoid further damages and hardships on the people because the rainfall this year is yet to abate.
“As I speak to you now, the state Ministry of Environment is coming to inspect the area once more because this issue is artificially caused. This flood is caused by the construction of the Railway line. The way they constructed the railway lines has affected our area. I moved a protest against that construction years back because I foresaw that it would come to this level. Also the construction of Umuesela road, channeling all the water to that area that accommodates over 3000 persons. So, it was artificially caused by human beings . . .”
Chief Ubani Alozie of Umuobiri community also pointed out that the Oyigbo flood has been a long time issue. “This water always flows from former Fougerole company, flows down to Umuobele to Umuobiri and to Umundona . . . It’s a yearly occurrence.”
Our investigations revealed that the consensus of opinion is, “What residents need is not relief materials. We want a permanent solution that will stop the flooding whenever it rains.”
They called on the Rivers State Government and relevant environmental agencies to urgently address drainage challenges in the area and put measures in place to prevent further displacement of residents.
Efforts to speak to the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Environment proved abortive as at press time; even as our efforts to contact the Oyigbo council chairman, Mr Okechukwu Akara yeilded no result.
