A 12-year-old pupil, Kehinde Popoola, has drowned in a canal in the Orilowo Ejigbo area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim was running an errand on Tuesday when she stopped to watch the movement of flood in a canal after a downpour in the area.
Our correspondent learnt that as Popoola watched the surge, she fell into the canal and was swept away.
It was gathered that an elderly man in the community, who witnessed the incident, quickly jumped into the canal with the hope of saving her.
It was gathered that he, however, hit his head against a concrete iron and almost drowned. He was said to have abandoned the rescue effort.
It was learnt that as of 5.20pm on Wednesday, the remains of the victim had yet to be recovered from the canal.
An official of the Lagos State Fire Service told PUNCH Metro that although the incident happened around 2pm on Tuesday, the service was not informed until Wednesday.
He said, “The incident happened around 2pm on Tuesday. She was sent on an errand to buy the food that she would eat.
“When she got to the canal, she stood there, watching the surge. In the process of doing that, she lost her balance and fell into the canal.
“An elderly man tried to rescue her. But when he discovered that it might involve his life, he had to leave her. She was swept away.”
It was learnt that the family, who became aware after hearing the noise around the canal, met a crowd of people at the scene of the incident.
They were said to have sought the support of some local rescue men, who entered the murky water.
A source said, “They invited eight Hausa men to look for her. But they did not find her.”
PUNCH Metro was told that it was after the men failed that the residents alerted the state fire service.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, who confirmed the incident, said the Ikotun fire service responded.
He said, “Although the girl may have died by now, we are on ground to supervise the search.
“Our men, with the assistance of other people in the community, are not leaving any stone unturned to make sure the girl is brought out.”
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