Floods swept an 11- year – old boy and
his rescuer , simply identified as Wasiu
away at Aboru and Iyana – Ipaja in
Alimosho area of Lagos on Saturday .
The duo was swept away at a canal
linking Aburo and Iyana – Ipaja on Ige
Road .
The News Agency of Nigeria
correspondent, who visited the scene of
the accident observed a huge crowd
wearing sad faces due to the incident
that occurred following the overflow of
water from the canal.
It was gathered that two young boys
sent by their parents to buy cooking gas
at a gas station fell into a drainage that
serves as a channel to the canal.
Three young men attempted rescuing
the boys and succeeded in rescuing the
older one , but one of the rescuers
popularly known as Wasiu Stubborn
was swept away while trying to rescue
the other victim.
Speaking to NAN at the scene, Mr
Solomon Agboghoroma , a Community
Development Association leader in Oki
Town, regretted the development ,
saying that the government had failed
to construct a bridge to prevent such
incidents.
Agboghoroma, who recounted the
ordeal of landlords and residents of the
area anytime it rained , said that there
was the need to expand Aboru road
and build a bridge at Cement Bus Stop
to forestall recurrence of such tragedy.
“This rain started almost four or five
days ago but the one of last night was
one of the heaviest and it started
around 2 :15 a. m . and by 3 :15 a . m ., it
came with full force and everywhere
was flooded.
“ Around 7 :30 a .m . or 8 :00 a .m ., we
learnt that an OPC member , who was a
security guard in one of the gas stations
here had been carried away by flood
while trying to rescue two children who
came to buy gas but fell into the drain.
“ The gas station had not opened
because of the flood as the whole place
including the canal had overflowed its
banks .“ The children fell inside the gutter. This
OPC boy went and rescued one but in
the process of rescuing the second
child , he and the boy fell into the canal
and that was the end,”
Agboghoroma
said.
He blamed the government for the
tragedy, saying that several petitions
had been written to successive
governments in the state from the time
of former Governor Babatunde Fashola
to the administration of Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode .
He said
“ People have been dying in situation
like this here and all landlords have
tried, including raising almost N 4
million for dredging of the canal.
Young-po Reporters 