Boy, 3, dies in well; 4-yr-old brother stopped from rescue attempt

LAGOS—Tragedy struck  at Ita-Oluwo
area of Lagos State as a three-year-old boy,
Samuel Emmanuel Oluwatunmise, fell into a deep
well while playing with his mates.
His immediate elder brother was, however,
prevented from falling into the same well.
The incident occurred at 3pm near Ayinla Avenue,
off Gasline, when the infant in company of his
four years old sibling and two other children went
to a neighbouring house where the incident took
place.
According to eye witnesses’ account, the
abandoned well was dug for domestic purposes
about a decade ago but was later abandoned
when water was not forthcoming.
The Well.
Ouwatunmise’s elder brother, Ayoola, told
Vanguard the well in question had been in the
vicinity for many years and that it was not the
first time children had been playing near it.
He, however, lamented negligence on the part of
the owner of the well who left it uncovered for
years.
When Vanguard visited the area yesterday, the
deceased had been buried while sympathisers
were at the scene to condole the parents.
Vanguard also observed that the well in question
was almost parallel to the earth surface and was
uncovered at the time of the visit.
Mother, Kikelomo, 40, a native of Ondo State,
wept profusely as she narrated her ordeal to
Vanguard.
She said: “This is our eighth year in this
community and I never knew such a well exists.
“My husband was at home for holidays and my
baby was invited to a neighbouring house by his
playmates but two hours after they left, I went in
search of them only to find my four years old boy
pointing into the well in an attempt to follow his
younger brother who had fallen inside but I
stopped him and raised the alarm which attracted
sympathisers.’’
Residents of the area claimed the deceased was
recovered dead around 8pm on Sunday by the
joint effort of Lagos State Fire Services and local
Police called ‘Onyabo’.
Owner of the building was said to be under
interrogation at Ogijo Police Division at the time
Vanguard visited. But Chairman, Agodo/Alara
Community Development Association, Mr. Jumah
Quadri, said efforts were on to forestal a
recurrence.
“The landlord will be summoned and the well will
be blocked,” he said.

Source : Vanguard


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