The Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo has commenced the fumigation of flooded communities, following the return of displaced persons to their communities, the News Agency of Nigeria

The council's Head of Social Department, Alhaji Seidenu Mohammed, told NAN on Tuesday in Fugar, Edo, that a number of affected communities had already been fumigated.

He said that the exercise would be completed this week as all materials needed for the job were in place. He explained that the exercise had to be done urgently because the displaced persons were eager to return to their communities. Mohammed said the programme was aimed at preventing possible epidemic.

"Before the Sallah, some of these communities made representation to the council that they were ready to go back to their communities.

"We appealed to them to be patient but they insisted on going back, and for that reason, we quickly rushed into fumigating the communities.

"We actually commenced fumigation of the communities last week and as I speak with you, we are still on it and will be completing the exercise this week," he said. Meanwhile, Mohammed said that as at Monday, virtually all the camps, except the one at Ekperi, had been vacated.

"Aside the Usomogbe camps at Ekperi, all of the other four camps are virtually empty," he said. More than 20, 000 persons were displaced when flood ravaged 20 communities in Etsako Central and East local government areas of Edo. NAN