School pupils feared dead in Lagos flood

Some pupils of Ogba Primary school in Lagos were, yesterday, feared drowned while others were wounded in the flooded school premises, following heavy rainfall witnessed in some parts of Lagos.

The pupils, as gathered, were released to go home during the downpour. But most of them reportedly played in the flood water, during which some of them reportedly got drowned.

Spokesperson for the Lagos State National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the incident to Vanguard, said: “Lagos State Ambulance Service was at hand with officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA and NEMA.

“The Ambulance Service gave first aid services before discharging the pupils. Nobody was drowned in the incident.”

He disclosed that the officials were still tackling flooding in areas like Sowonuola, Olarenwaju, Adeyemi Ijaye street and Abiola market, all in Agege, at 3pm.

Vanguard investigation revealed that the flood also affected areas like Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ikorodu, Orile-Iganmu, Coker-Aguda, where residents were thrown into lamentation as the rain entered into their apartments, destroying property worth millions of naira.

Farinloye appealed to school authorities to take precautionary measures at saving the lives of school children by keeping them late in school during downpour, until it is safe for them to go home.

He also admonished motorists to avoid sitting in their vehicles during torrential rainfall as flood could carry the vehicle away.