Rescue officers abandon search for occupants of drowned truck

Kazeem Ugbodaga

Rescue officers at the scene of a tragic accident on the outskirts of Nigeria’s commercial city of Lagos abandoned the search for the occupants of the Toyota Hilux truck that careered off the highway and plunged into the Majidun River.

The rescue men had recovered the pick-up truck this morning after it plunged into the river on the busy Lagos-Ikorodu Road.

P.M. NEWS gathered that the accident occurred around 7.00 a.m when the truck, being driven by one Kolawole Ahmed, Gulf Administrative Manager, Ikoyi Club 1938, inward Ikorodu, skidded off the road and plunged into the river.

Witnesses said four persons were in the Hilux, with the registration number KSF 918 AU, when it plunged into the Majidun River.

Officers of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Maritime Navy and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA were on ground to rescue the victims but none of them was brought out of the river after an unsuccessful search.

The Hilux pick-up truck was retrieved from the river and taken to the Ajegunle Police Station.

LASEMA General Manager, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed that four people were in the pick-up truck when it plunged into the river. He said LASEMA officers and other rescue agencies moved to the scene on time to commence rescue operation, saying that the vehicle had been recovered but that none of the occupants was yet to be rescued.