Early morning torrential rains in the city of Lagos wrecked havoc in the nation’s commercial capital on Monday, claiming at least one life.

According to media reports, a security man was killed in Lekki Phase 1 when a telecommunications mast fell on him, flung by high winds from the unexpected freak storm that swept through the city.

Mary Iso, the meteorological manager of Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport told the AP that winds from the storm reached 120km/h, the threshold for hurrican wind speeds, adding that winds reached up to 65km/h further inlands.

Rooftops were unhinged from homes and billboards were sent crashing into some cars, businesses and houses in the suburbs.

The roaring winds tore through the Ikoyi and Obalende neighbourhoods, uprooting trees, leaving destruction in its wake, and causing heavy gridlock traffic in the parts of the populous city.

AP Photo

The Associated Press further reported that a corpse was seen at a transportation hub near the nation’s former presidential palace. The man, a math teacher who had been on his way to work, was killed when an antannae struck him in the head.

The hurricane-strength winds also fell an overhead highway road sign, smashing it into the a passing sedan, injuring both driver and passenger, according to witness.

Residents in the area told Channels Television that they had mobilised today, hoping to set to rights the destructions caused by the ferocious storm.

The rain led to flooding in Ijeshatedo and Sanya areas as well, leaving residents in the commercial hub apprehensive of the coming rainy seasons in the months ahead.