Flood sweeps away man, cow in Ogun
A 26-year–old man, Wale Odumosu, was swept away by flood after a downpour on Thursday in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The father of two was said to have been swept off his feet by the raging flood, when he attempted to save a cow, caught in the flood around Adefisan area of Ijebu Ode.
Eyewitnesses said the volume of water passing through the newly redirected drainage channel to the area increased as the downpour increased, making it impossible for other passers-by to rescue him.
One of them said, “Wale has just returned from Lagos barely an hour before the incident happened. He wanted to hold the cow by the horn, but himself and the cow fell into the drainage channel and they were swept away by the flood.”
Another eyewitness who said he knew Odumosu, gave another version of the tragic event.
He said the victim fell into the drainage when he missed his step while crossing over to his house located close to the scene of the incident.
He blamed the state government for increasing the volume of water passing through the area which was as a result of the re-direction of flood coming from the Ijebu-Ode township into the area.
The chairman, Isope Community landlord Association, Mr. Mushafau Osibanjo, said the incident occurred due to the re-channelisation of the drainage coming from the township into the area which they earlier protested.
He explained that another resident was also swept away by flood on Wednesday after a similar downpour.
The Ogun State command, Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said he could not confirm the incident because “the Divisional Police Officer in whose jurisdiction (Obalende Ijebu) the incident occurred did not answer calls put through to him.”
Source: Punch