11-year-old son of former Commissioner for Information in Edo State, has fallen into an open storm water drain and wept off to his death through a drainage linking Okhoro Dam in Egor Local Government Area of the State.
The tragedy occurred last week Thursday when the Sexagenarian’s son, attempted to pick an object from the open drain, and tumbled into the drain filled with water, near his parents residence, near Oyayi factory, off Okhoro road.
A close family source revealed that the mother of the was said to be indoors when the victim, who was billed to enrol into a football Academy by his parents, strayed out of his premises one of his neighbours.
A search party was immediately deployed by the distraught parents to search for the victim’s body, which has not been found as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has drawn widespread outrage and renewed call by amongst residents of the area
on the government to urgently address public safety risks to avoid reoccurring incidents.
Responding to questions regarding the incident, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua, expressed regret over the incident.
He however issued warning alert to residents living on flood planes to move to higher grounds and warned against dumpling of refuse into drains as well as minimize incidences of displacement.
His administration followed the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) prediction of flooding in some States in Nigeria, including Edo State due to the dangers, which climate change: flooding and erosion during the 2026 wet season earlier.
“I think what we need to do; at the take off points, we can have some level of obstruction not necessarily on the flow way.
“It is quite unfortunate this incident happened; that used to be the perennial problem of ‘five junction’ when Adams Oshiomhole was Governor.
“When the rains are gathering, fear would envelope the people’s mind, and before you say Jack Robinson, one or two persons have been swept away by flood waters”, according to Afegbua.
