File photo: A flooded street
Angered by the death of a six-year-old boy who was swept away by flooding in Oro Street in Benin – City, residents of the area have vowed to continue their street protests until the body of the boy is recovered.
Vanguard gathered that the victim identified as Segun and his mother whose name was given as Latifat were going home after school hours when they slipped into an open drainage at the Omosogie junction along Bénin-Uselu road An eye-witness who gave his name as Kehinde said it was an Hausa boy scavenging for scraps that saved the woman but her son fell in.
“I quickly jumped inside the gutter but the boy was already gone. We have searched everywhere but we did not see the body.
“The boy is scheduled for graduation ceremony to primary one next week”
His body was yet to be recovered as at press time The angry protesters who blocked the busy Uselu-Lagos Road with bonfires, also pulled down and destroyed several sign boards of the Edo State Government in the area.
They however vowed that until the body of the boy, was recovered, they would continue with their protests. They alleged that the State Government has not sent its officials to help find the body of the pupil since the incident occurred.
Leader of the protesters, Mr. Oni Enoma, described the drainage as a death trap and a nightmare to residents whenever it rains. He said they would leave the streets if the state government began moves to cover to drainage.
He said, “A woman and her baby fell into a death trap they called gutter. It was an Hausa man that dragged the woman out but the baby fell inside. but we have not been able to find the body of the boy.
“We were surprised that nothing has been done by the fire fighters and the state government to find the body. We want the Commissioner of Works to come and cover the drainage or we will not stop this protests. We want them to cover that death trap.
Another protester who gave his name as Augustine Idahosa said the incident happened at about 2pm on Monday.
He said, “This is part of the N30billion water storm project. We blocked the road to make the government come and recover the body,”