SO SAD! Couple, 5-Year-Old Drown In An Uncovered Canal In Ogun

A five-year-old girl and a couple have reportedly drowned in an uncovered canal at the Ewekoro end of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State.

The little girl, who has been identified as Aliyah Hussein, was returning from Abeokuta with her parents on Sunday when herself and her mother slipped on the edge of the canal, falling into it.

According to Punch Metro, it was gathered that the yet-to-be-identified couple also drowned last Monday in the canal, as residents of Ewekoro lamented the failure of the state authorities to put a slab on the open part of the canal and guard it with iron bars, preventing pedestrians from falling into it.
PUNCH Metro reportedly visited the area on Thursday, late Aliyah’s father, Oseni, said his family was returning from Abeokuta when it rained heavily in the area and caused a traffic gridlock.

He added that his wife had been seriously injured, and would also have died but for the quick intervention of other pedestrians who struggled to pull her out.
Oseni, who described his deceased daughter as his joy, said the management of a cement factory in the area, who reportedly dug the canal, did not show sympathy to his family.
 “The incident happened around 8pm on Sunday. We were in a bus coming from Abeokuta when it started raining and there was a heavy traffic so we decided to take motorcycles to Ifo where we lived.

“I got a motorcycle to Papa and left while my wife, our first son and Aliyah also took a motorcycle. Aliyah was asleep so my wife carried her on her back. When we got to the canal, the motorcyclist’s hands were unstable because of the flood and my wife alighted from the motorcycle.
“The motorcyclist rode his bike to the other side of the road and my wife and daughter were attempting to cross the road to meet him when she slipped on the uncovered part of the canal and fell. There is an open part of the canal, which is supposed to be covered and guarded with iron bars but has been neglected. My wife did not see it because of the flood.
“It was our first child who observed that my wife and daughter had fallen into the canal and he immediately raised the alarm. When people rallied round them, they were able to pull out my wife, but we did not see Aliyah again.

“We continued searching for her till Monday. She was found dead on Monday evening and has been buried. She was a bright girl and she was just five years, and eight months.
“When we went to see the management of the cement company to lodge a complaint, we did not see anyone to complain to. All they needed to do was to put a slab on that uncovered part and use iron bars to demarcate the canal from the road.”

A resident who simply identified herself as matron, said that Aliyah’s corpse was recovered at the back of a cement company in the area a day after the incident.
“The slab on the canal does not cover the entire surface, and during heavy rains, the flood covers that part and pedestrians who are not familiar with the terrain fall easily into the canal.

“A couple still fell and drowned last Monday. It is wickedness on the part of the authorities and the cement company who are supposed to undertake the fixing of the iron bars. How many people will drown in this canal before the proper thing is done?”

When contacted, the Ogun State Commissioner for Works, Lekan Adegbite, said he could not get the exact location of the canal, adding that general construction work was ongoing at the Ewekoro end of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

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Posted: at 10-11-2015 06:19 AM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero

God have mercy.

Posted: at 10-11-2015 07:11 AM (9 years ago) | Hero

So sad to loose a beautiful daughter just like that
RIP girl....

Posted: at 10-11-2015 07:59 AM (9 years ago) | Upcoming

This is another case of negligence we are talking about, they don't care about the safety of people's lives anymore

Posted: at 10-11-2015 09:11 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Can someone please tell Levan Adegbite to urgently fix that part and stop ranting about how general construction work is on going in that area even though he had confessed he do not know the spot.  Is he normal at all? His immediate focus should be on the killer canal and not general work.  Poor girl.  May her soul rest in peace.  I can imagine what she went through before her death.  Lord have mercy

Posted: at 10-11-2015 10:10 AM (9 years ago) | Hero

God of mercy!!!

Posted: at 10-11-2015 01:35 PM (9 years ago) | Hero

this is painful o kai.

Posted: at 10-11-2015 02:19 PM (9 years ago) | Hero

the problem is we always manage a situation for too long until it is so bad. the commissioner of works who is yet to locate the area they are talking about is that what he is supposed o say?

Posted: at 10-11-2015 02:22 PM (9 years ago) | Hero

EWOO!!! NO BE SMALL MATTER O

Posted: at 10-11-2015 02:25 PM (9 years ago) | Newbie

Is dis carelessness or wat? Rip

Posted: at 10-11-2015 04:34 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming