The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency, has distributed multimillion-naira relief materials to thousands of rainstorm victims in Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti State.
The beneficiaries were mostly residents whose buildings were destroyed by the stormy rain that hit several communities in the senatorial district on February 11, 2026, leaving hundreds homeless.
The gesture covered victims from Irepodun/Irepodun, Ado, Efon, and Ijero local government areas in Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
Bamidele, who represents the district in the National Assembly, spoke while distributing the materials to beneficiaries at Ijero Ekiti and other locations across the affected councils on Thursday, saying: “The intervention is geared towards alleviating the suffering of the rainstorm victims and offering them a lifeline at this challenging moment.”
Represented by his Senior Legislative Assistant, Gbenga Banji, the Senate Leader sympathised with the victims, adding:
“The food items and other materials donated are capable of offering temporary relief, pending the time their ravaged houses are rebuilt.”
Bamidele, expressing sadness upon learning of the disaster, said the prompt provision of relief materials through NEMA would offer hope to the victims during this period of trial.
“I am aware of the trauma and harrowing experiences associated with disasters. This propelled me to quickly approach NEMA to offer a helping hand and mitigate the pains of such incidents on the victims.
“It was saddening and devastating seeing hundreds of buildings blown off by windstorm at a time when people did not prepare for it. I know what they are going through, and this gesture is to show empathy and solidarity.
“I want to appeal to our people to always take precautionary measures to avert some of these occurrences through proper maintenance of building structures, planting of trees around residential areas, and proper channelisation to prevent flooding that often happens yearly,” the lawmaker said.
The NEMA Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said disasters are always sudden, making it imperative for residents to take precautionary measures against rainstorms, flooding, and related hazards.
Umar commended Bamidele for quickly approaching the agency to seek emergency help for his constituents, describing the gesture as a demonstration of good representation and empathy for the affected residents.
She urged the beneficiaries:
“Use the materials distributed to mitigate your sufferings while efforts are intensified to rebuild your damaged structures.”
The Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole, and other monarchs in the district described Bamidele’s gesture as commendable and a sign of good representation, saying it would go a long way in stabilising the victims.
“Senator Bamidele has taken a bold and appropriate step by approaching NEMA to provide the requisite help to the victims. This will abate the trauma some of the victims suffered since the event,” Adewole said.
“The shock and scars of the incident deeply affected the entire local government and created panic among residents. We commend the senator for not leaving the victims to their fate.”
