A 16-year-old barber apprentice, simply identified as Dimeji, was reportedly swept away on Friday after a torrential rainfall in a gully erosion around St. Anthony Nursery and Primary School, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode.
Dimeji was said to have mistakenly stepped into the canal covered with erosion thinking that he was stepping on the plank which pedestrians usually walk on to move to the other side.
A viral video circulating on Saturday showed how the corpse of the young boy was retrieved from the gully.
The video was accompanied by a condolence message explaining that the victim was not a student, but a barber apprentice around Awokoya Street in Ijebu-Ode.
The message reads, “With a heavy heart, we share the sorrowful news of a young life lost to the devastating erosion in Ijebu Ode this evening.
“The victim, an apprentice barber at Awokoya, has been confirmed to be a non-student.
“Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his mother, who sells “fufu” at the same location.
“May his soul rest in peace, and may his family find comfort in this difficult time”.
A source confirmed the incident to our Correspondent on Saturday.
The source who pleaded anonymity said “yes, what you saw in the video is true, the boy, Dimeji actually slipped into the canal.
“What happened was that he escorted his friend to take motorcycle, while the friend sat on the bike and went away, he mistakingly put his leg in the water thinking that he was stepping on the plank and that was how he was swept away”.
Effort to get the spokesperson of Ogun State police command, SP Omolola Odutola to speak on the incident proved abortive, as calls to her phone were not picked while message sent to her WhatsApp was yet to be replied as at the time of filing this report.
