Tragedy struck residents of Aboru and Iyana-Ipaja in Alimosho area of Lagos State on Saturday as flood swept away an 11-year-old boy and his rescuer, one Wasiu at a canal linking Aburo and Iyana-Ipaja on Ige Road.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that two young boys sent by their parents to buy cooking gas at a gas station unknowingly fell into a drain through which water passed into 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 ordeals 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 Bud 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 at about 2:15 am and by 3:15am, it came with full force and everwhere was flooded.
“At about 7:30 am or 8:00am, we learnt that an OPC member, who was security guard in one of the gas stations here was 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 misplaced their legs and the two of them 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 Gov. Babatunde Fashola to the last administration of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.
“People have been dying in situation like this here and all landlords have tried, including raising almost N4 million for dredging of the canal.
“The government knows what to do when it is ready because this canal contract was award sometime in 2011 or 2012. When we taxed ourselves, Fashola came and commended us and promised palliative and government takeover.
“The government should come and do the bridge as against this culvert that is here. This flat culvert cannot contain water. The government should widening this road and ensure the canal is dug for the peace and safety of residents,” he added.
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